shallow and shrill

Rating: 3/10 (20 July 2004)

Remember when Nicole Kidman got a Best Actress nomination for her...ahem..."work" in "Moulin Rouge"? Remember when they showed a clip from the movie on Oscar night that consisted entirely of her shouting and whooping and flapping her arms like an idiot? And remember how, when they cut to Kidman sitting in the audience, she looked embarrassed by the clip?
Who can blame her? T'was a stupid clip from a stupid movie. She's capable of better, of course, even if she's not my favorite. But this is clearly the worst dreck of her entire career.
Where does one begin? Nice costumes - check. Cool and intentionally fake-looking sets - check. Decent script - erm, pass. "Moulin Rouge!" indulges in silly romantic cliches on purpose, because there seems to be some unwritten law that all musicals have to be superficial and shallow love stories. Shame it didn't really try to improve the formula. If you think that hearing someone croon "The greatest thing you'll ever learn...is to LOVE...and be LOVED...in RETURN!" is real deep and touching, then you might get something out of this. If, like me, you think it's mindless drivel, all style and no substance, and a whooping Nicole Kidman annoys you...avoid.