The Great Gatsby: Sweeping Thrills Await

No film should ever dare to come close to imitating Woody Allen’s “Rhapsody in Blue” filled Manhattan images. No one, except of course, The Great Gatsby. Baz Lurhmann, Gatsby’s director, shows captivating scenes of New York’s tall buildings and ostentatious elite while enrapturing the audience with Gershwin’s renowned tune. The movie’s fast pace captures glamour in a charming manner, which makes the love story premise all the more lovely—much like Lurhmann did in his previous movie, Moulin Rouge.

The same excessively magical love ambience resonates in The Great Gatsby. The movies share similar themes of loneliness, extravagant romanticism, and lost love. Of course, many other movies out there share these themes. And I say, why not? Their all so gosh darned universal.

Jay Gatsby, brought to life by Leonardo DiCaprio, is a truly romantic soul willing to do anything for the first (and only) love of his life, Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan). His willingness goes as far as buying a castle facing directly towards Daisy’s mansion and he throws wild parties every single weekend for New York’s high and low classes, with the sole purpose and hope of Daisy wandering in.

The movie revolves around Gatsby’s lust and love for Daisy. And although widely repeated themes persist, Lurhmann explores them through different eyes.

The very creative coloring and 1920’s rap scenes brand the movie unique. Jay-Z tunes blast in the background as Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) and Gatsby indulge in the pleasures of New York’s high society life. Carraway is Gatsby’s not so high society neighbor who becomes his best friend. Together, and in sumptuous wardrobe, they party with no cares.

Although Lurhmann’s take on the much-acclaimed American novel was bold and modern, the movie remains loyal to its print original—at least in the plotting. The script included all of the novel’s main points and managed to pull off keeping the dialogue sharp and clever.

Of course, some critics might argue the finer points of theme and whether or not this movie managed to capture them, but I think those people miss the point. You see, the movie is long, but not too long, ending at just the right moment. It’s packed with visual spectacle and the gushing thrill-of-your-life emotions that come with love and risk. Pages and pages of disillusioned ennui just don’t translate well to film—especially when we’re talking in terms of summer blockbusters.

No, a movie is a different animal entirely and the director of this piece is well aware of what goes where when it comes to story aspects and narrative medium. Here is the palpable breathlessness and stunned exhilaration. The original print form of Gatsby is a slower, perhaps sadder, introspection about yearning and truth. Lurhmann melds those pieces into something that can best be described as a fleeting fever dream—one that is not remembered, but still somehow deeply felt. Lurhmann has a keen eye for all that is beautiful in a fervent love story and he may now add The Great Gatsby to his list of hits.