The Great Gatsby (2013) Movie Review

The Great Gatsby. Directed by Baz Luhrmann. Based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Starring Leonardo Dicaprio, Carey Mulligan, and Tobey Maguire. Rated PG-13 with a running time of 143 Minutes. Given a 7.5/10 on IMDB.com and certified 48% Rotten on Rottentomatoes.com

"A Midwestern war veteran finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor."

So I've read "The Great Gatsby" in my current english class and I've found that I thorougly enjoy the story but I don't really like the book or the 1974 movie. However, I attempted to watch this film with an open mind, from the point of view of an average movie goer, with no prior knowledge of Gatsby and here's what I took from the film overall.

Luhrmann delivers as always with a dreamlike beauty on the side of cinemetography. Each scene is beautifully scultped, flashy, and absolutely magnificient. However, the vast amounts of green screen used to create these scenes tends to be too "in your face" for my taste and I eventually got so tired of it to the point that I was getting a headache. I can't imagine the pain that anyone watching in 3D was feeling. That being said, the visuals on this film are definitely worth the $10 I dropped to watch it.

The cast did a fanominal job with their characters. Carey Mulligan who plays Daisy Buchanan gave just enough flair and melacholy to her character to be admired. Tobey Maguire sadly fell short in a role that's absolutely important to the plot but ultimately so simple that anyone could've pulled it off, which is what saddens me considering Maguire is a capable actor but it seems he just missed it on this role. Leonardo Dicaprio's Jay Gatsby is honestly the best part of this film. He truly embodies all of the complexities of Gatsby is a way that's never been done before and I'd argue that this is, if not one of, his greatest performances of his entire career. However, try as they might, the fanominal acting just isn't enough to the film out of the water.

The first half of the film is full of grandeur and tantalizing imagery, but the Kanye West soundtrack and lack of any 'real' plot development left me bored and disappointed. Sadly, I wanted to leave the theater in within the first thirty minutes. About midway, when Daisy and Gatsby meet, the film does get better but at this point it just isn't enough. There's an immense amount of overacting, weird shots, and a level of silliness that just can't be shaken. Nick Carraway's constant narration becomes annoying. I found myself on the edge of my seat as the film spiralled into it's climactic conclusion, spinning a beautiful end, but it was too difficult for me not to laugh at how hard they were trying to pick something up after it had dropped and shattered upon the floor. I had to check my watch multiple times in the cinema and I was relieved by the time the credits finally began to roll.

Overall, The Great Gatsby had entirely too much potential to be absolutely incredible and a spectacular rendition of it's source material, but it fails to capture the true heart and meaning of the book. It weaves a carnival of wonder and I really wanted to love this film. It's not a disaster, but by the time it decides what it's doing, it's already too late. I suggest it's better to "beat on" then to waste your time. Sorry, Old Sport.

* *

2/5 Stars

I'll see you at the movies!

~Tyler Skye Gordon