Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby attempts to recapture the past, for a modern audience. Though the novel was no stranger to the silver screen, Luhrmann aimed to uphold its traditional themes, while modernizing aspects. Known for his abstractly artistic style, the roaring 20s seemed the perfect staging ground, creatively allowing his vision to flourish. Over 85 years after its initial publication, The Great Gatsby remained as culturally relevant as ever and garnered much anticipation for its 2013 release.
Beginning his career on Wall Street, Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) moves from the Midwest to the West Egg of Long Island. Hearing whisperings of a mysterious Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), Nick is invited to attend one of Gatsby's illustrious parties. Attending and finally coming face-to-face with the renowned figure, the pair quickly form an unsuspecting friendship. After Gatsby unveils his ulterior motive, Carraway is along for the ride as his life, and everyone around him is flipped on its head.
While I recognize my bias, as The Great Gatsby is my favorite novel of all time, I am perpetually elated by this adaptation. Luhrmann's abstract style compliments the story by elevating the experience with fantastical visuals and taking the larger-than-life encounters to the next level. The cast perfectly encapsulates their roles and harkens back the audience to a simpler time, filled with complex personalities. Feeling and acting exactly as readers might imagine, The Great Gatsby truly comes to life and even its old-fashioned dialogue feels seamlessly implemented into the story. Unfortunately, the soundtrack sorely sticks out, featuring some of the 2010's biggest artists, thus ruining the immersion constructed by the rest of the film. Though a few, such as Lana Del Rey, fit rather well, the majority of the soundtrack left me scratching my head. The Great Gatsby is a near-perfect adaptation of one of the most iconic American novels of all time, delightfully translating the sprawling story onto the big screen, for a modern audience.
Beginning his career on Wall Street, Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) moves from the Midwest to the West Egg of Long Island. Hearing whisperings of a mysterious Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), Nick is invited to attend one of Gatsby's illustrious parties. Attending and finally coming face-to-face with the renowned figure, the pair quickly form an unsuspecting friendship. After Gatsby unveils his ulterior motive, Carraway is along for the ride as his life, and everyone around him is flipped on its head.
While I recognize my bias, as The Great Gatsby is my favorite novel of all time, I am perpetually elated by this adaptation. Luhrmann's abstract style compliments the story by elevating the experience with fantastical visuals and taking the larger-than-life encounters to the next level. The cast perfectly encapsulates their roles and harkens back the audience to a simpler time, filled with complex personalities. Feeling and acting exactly as readers might imagine, The Great Gatsby truly comes to life and even its old-fashioned dialogue feels seamlessly implemented into the story. Unfortunately, the soundtrack sorely sticks out, featuring some of the 2010's biggest artists, thus ruining the immersion constructed by the rest of the film. Though a few, such as Lana Del Rey, fit rather well, the majority of the soundtrack left me scratching my head. The Great Gatsby is a near-perfect adaptation of one of the most iconic American novels of all time, delightfully translating the sprawling story onto the big screen, for a modern audience.