Breathtaking

Rating: 10/10 (12 September 2001)

A few days before seeing the movie, I watched Baz Luhrmann selling the film in Cannes and all over the States thanks to a BBC documentary. I was sold on the film just from seeing an army of suited guys giving an operatic rendition of Smells Like Teen Spirit - and that's not even one per cent of this film's brilliance.
In perhaps the bleakest year for big screen offerings, MR is one of the most welcome movies of 2001. A treat to look at, fast, funny, daring, sexy, rousing, exciting - everything a good movie should be. But if the set design and music weren't there, then it would still have worked purely because of the chemistry between Nicole and Ewan. They look like they're having fun which is worth the price of admission alone.
An instant masterpiece.