The Great Gatsby review

The only way to go on living after watching the Great Gatsby is to write a review about it. At least, then I could put my 20's Gatsby dream at bay and go on living a semi-normal life as a 19 year old girl in the present. Gatsby is a classic tale modernized by Baz Luhrmann with an exquisite cast and a fresh, contemporary soundtrack (That will soon be installed permanently in my car stereo). The hopeful and heartbreaking plot of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel visually comes to the screen in a momentous way. I sat there feeling something special. I felt I now had a special bond with the acquaintances that had joined me for the 7:15 pm showing. Our bond was now a Gatsby bond, a bond that tied us together to remind us of carelessness, love and hope. Leonardo DiCaprio's portrayal of the title character was phenomenal. Even days after seeing the movie, I almost forget that Gatsby is the one who is fictional and DiCaprio is real. He seemed tangible, bringing out similarities to Gatsby that the viewers might not have ever known existed. Tobey Maguire was an excellent Nick, making the audience feel at home within the tortured mess of his mind. Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton and Isla Fisher also played their roles with a fierce yet vulnerable confidence that made the story seem so real. Luhrmann's direction was like a beautiful cake; it was visually stunning and had layer upon layer of unique storytelling to captivate the audience until the very last scene. At times, I was so excited or devastated or angry I found it hard to control my bodily functions ranging with each mood that struck me. With unexpected song choices, the movie flourished, almost feeling like an exact mix of 1920's New York and a backyard concert at Jay-Z's house. There is no doubt that the movie was a risk, taking on an American literary classic. In a way, Luhrmann was "trying to repeat the past", just as  Gatsby does in the film. Gatsby is a top-notch example of a movie that contemporarily, movingly, beautifully and most importantly - successfully - repeats the past.

 

Cry Meter: 4.5 out of 5 - This bad boy will make you cry if you have the slightest bit of a soul. There might be happy tears, sad tears, or frustrated tears - however, there will definitely be tears.