The eternal question, Style or substance?

Rating: Null/10 (16 June 2001)

My old film teacher would tell me that a simple story line is best when creating a film that is a masterpiece. There is no doubt in my mind that Moulin Rouge proves this theory true. This movie not only puts new breath in the rotting corpse of the Old musical formula but adds spectacle and astonishment. The movie, in my mind is a masterpiece to and shows how much Baz Luhrmann has grown as an artist and autuer. The first 40 minutes are simply amazing making you feel as if you were in the transportation sequence in "2001". The story is simple boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl but the girl is promised to another whom she doesn't love. (any of this reminding you of "Shakespeare in love?" But the plot line is simple for a reason. This movie wants to viewer not only to understand the story but to enjoy and be swept away by the visuals that the imagination can create. Some persons may say that this film lacks more multi-dimensional characters and I do not completely disagree but I do like that this is a film for the masses and can be enjoyed by almost everyone from the elderly to the young.
Nicole Kidman and Ewan Mcgregor accomplish great vocal performances for persons without vocal experience in their background but more astonishing is that Luhrmann would make the actors sing as opposed to getting stand in vocals and then ADRing them in. This single act put Luhrmann on my personal idol list; for any director that makes actors fully commit to a role without compromise is genius. But there is more genius in the Art department of this film which is spearheaded by Luhrmann's wife (who in my opinion should win an Oscar for this film). Not since the "Age of Innocence" has a film blown me away with its incredible dazzling sets (which are real and not computer generated alla Gladiator). While watching this film I remembered "Footlight Parade" and the amazing shows of the Busby Berkley's contained in them. In Rouge the spectacular shows and staging are accompanied by amazing cinimatic genius and great vision. Possibly too much because I felt that I would have enjoyed a little less quick cuts in the big show numbers in order to digest the performance but I was not disappointed in the slightest with what I got. All in all this movie is a must see. Simple is best when creating a story line because a simple story line allows everyone to enjoy the performance because it can be easily read. But when you add a simple story line with great cinimatic vision and practice you get a real masterpiece that should not be unnoticed by the academy or any other critic.