It's allegorical

Rating: 9/10 (21 March 2002)

In the first 15 minutes, my senses were assaulted. I was also taken aback by the use of popular song lyrics as dialogue. Then I finally got the point of the movie. It's not even remotely grounded in reality. It's "hyper-real" (Lurhman's own words). It's allegorical. The characters are deliberately archetypal.
Relax, and give in to this feast for the senses, and you won't be disappointed.
McGregor's ability to sing surprised me more than Kidman's. Personally, I think he did a better job singing, but both were quite good!
Roxburgh's portrayal of the Duke is superbly comical. When he recites a couple of lines from "Like a Virgin", I was rolling on the floor. Compare this with his character in MI2. They are a wonderful contrast.
My favorite part is when the song, "Roxanne," is given an awesome interpretation in some passionate Argentine Tango.
The key is that the songs and lyrics-as-dialogue are wonderfully integrated into the movie, unlike a standard musical that stops for a song. This integration contributes to the film's good pacing. It's so refreshing to see popular songs used in original ways.