After completing all of my exams and, in turn, University as a whole I guess it's probably about time that I catch up with all of the films I have seen over the past few weeks. The first was 'The Great Gatsby', based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald and helmed by the distinctive director Baz Luhrmann. To anyone who doesn't know the story, set in 1920's New York, Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) discovers that he has moved next door to the mysterious Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) and becomes tangled up in his lavish lifestyle and secret past.
If there is one thing that stands out about this film it is that the famous Baz Luhrmann style is taken to the max. Every scene and shot is so stylised and cinematic that it makes the film a real feast for the eyes. From the exuberant and wild parties to the quieter moments between individual characters, it is all set up with a particular image in mind. Luhrmann has certainly come into his own with this time period and this story, putting him back at the directorial level of Moulin Rouge. However, at certain points in the film, it sometimes seems that the integrity of the story and the characters have been compromised to fit in with the style of the film. This may just be my opinion, but when I read the book several years ago I felt that the story wasn't exactly action packed. This would suggest that all attempts should be made to strengthen the story rather than letting an already uneventful story fall by the wayside. Having said that, the cinematic element does sometimes help to distract from the slower sections of the book which can only be an advantage I guess.
Before I had even heard much about that film, the soundtrack was already well and truly doing the media rounds. With the legend Jay Z in charge, it was never going to contain average stereotypical 1920's music. With songs and covers from Beyonce, Florence Welch, Lana Del Rey and many many more it contains some genuinely great songs. But yet again, the age old problem returns in that the necessity for style and 'cool' music has overshadowed the actual story. Regularly, the music doesn't quite match the setting and even though sometimes this is very effective, particularly during the party scenes, there are also parts where the music and what is shown on screen don't match up at all. Style being chosen over substance all over again.
Let's focus on the acting now. Most of the performances are pretty great throughout the film, and there is no doubt that Leonardo DiCaprio is definitely close to his best in the film. It seems almost impossible to find flaw with his portrayal of this classic literary character, showing both the extravagant as well as the reserved in equal measure. The acting drawback, however, comes in the predictable form of Tobey Maguire. I realise that some of you may disagree with me here, but I really don't like him as an actor. He is always crap in everything. It's particularly annoying in this context as the story is from the point of view of his character, meaning he is in every bloody scene. Anyone else could've done a better job at this than him, and it confuses me why he was cast. Other than that, everyone else is great in their roles and they really fit well together as a cast.
So after complaining about the film quite a lot, I am going to say that it is a very good film. The problems mentioned in this review are not major ones (generally) and the film as a whole is a great interpretation of the novel. Purely for the visual experience alone it is definitely worth seeing this new version of 'The Great Gatsby'.
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