YIKES!!!

Rating: Null/10 (8 June 2001)

I did enjoy this filmmaker's "Strictly Ballroom" and I will give him credit for TRYING such a daring piece as "Moulin Rouge". But just because someone TRIES doesn't mean they SUCCEED and this film is a colorful, beautiful to look at MESS!!! John Leguizamo gives one of the worst performances I've ever seen captured on film. He plays it as a one-note cartoon character with a speech impediment. All of his 'cronies" were like cartoon sidekicks that quickly grew tiring. Ewan and Nicole do give fine performances but how many times did we have to listen to the same line from "Your Song" sung over and over and over??? I am a huge fan of British actor Jim Broadbent (See "Life is Sweet" or "Bullets Over broadway") but this is the first time I've actually seen him be bad. I couldn't wait for his "Like A Virgin" number to be over. This film obviously divides into two camps, those who loved it and those who hated it. I just found it's story line simple and predictable and when you take away all the art direction and lighting, it's just a lame doomed love story. And the "Roxanne" number??? Could they have found someone with a worse singing voice? They might as well had the Cookie Monster yelling out the lyrics!