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Film Review: The Great Gatsby
Friday 17th May 2013 | Vilma
For fans of the original book, Baz Luhrmann’s new adaptation of The Great Gatsby was an excruciatingly long wait. Planned for a December 2012 release, the film was delayed for months until it finally premiered at the opening night of Cannes film festival. Luhrmann is best known for his modern versions of Romeo and Juliet and the well-acclaimed musical Moulin Rouge!, and The Great Gatsby follows in their footsteps.
We follow the story of Nick Carraway, who is swept into a world of parties and prestige in post-World War II New York. His naivety is brilliantly portrayed by Tobey Maguire, who for some unknown reason has managed to stay out of the limelight for the past few years. For those unfamiliar with the storyline of the film, Carraway is introduced to his exceptionally wealthy and mysterious neighbour Jay Gatsby- a role so legendary that it almost feels as if Leonardo DiCaprio was made to portray the enigmatic character. His expressions vary from affection to excruciating anger so convincingly that it seems unbearable that an Oscar has yet to come his way. The casting is the biggest strength of the film with Carey Mulligan playing Gatsby’s love affection and Joel Edgerton the main antagonist with great energy and talent.
The dramatic style of the film is highlighted interestingly with the powerful soundtrack produced by hip-hop maestro Jay-Z. It includes new tracks from Florence and the Machine, The xx and Gotye, just to name a few. Lana Del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful “ supports the storyline and numerous covers of the song are played throughout the film varying from a simple instrumental version to a jazz track to fit the 1920’s setting. You can’t help but feel like you want to be part Gatsby’s world: the greatness of New York during Prohibition, the magnificent parties and all the drama. Luhrmann manages to create a vision of the Roaring Twenties that we all wish to experience.
However, the 3D version of the film feels rather unnecessary. Some scenes are visually stunning with the glamour and glitter of the Roaring Twenties, but the main focus is on the storyline so a 2D version works just as well. The biggest problem the film faces is that the vastness of the original novel (a must-read for those who haven’t read it) simply seems unreachable and the sheer anticipation of the film’s release makes it impossible for the film to overcome the long wait. It doesn’t necessarily disappoint, but doesn’t surprise the audience either. Simply put, The Great Gatsby isn’t able to overcome its high expectations.
Vilma Nurmela
