They could as well write some music for this musical

Rating: 1/10 (22 December 2001)

This film develops along a plot that is as cliche, naive and predictable as is cinematographically possible, with most secondary characters bordering on the ridiculous ( Lautrec's ghost should sue the producers ). And that's not all - Ewan McGregor is the British equivalent to Keanu Reeves, totally uninteresting to watch, his expression of emotions and complexities coming out completely forced and shallow ( and singing worst than the average guy on the street ). But anyway, none of it should matter since this is after all a musical, right ? Well, it is here that things really fall apart. The idea of transforming well known tunes to songs for the Moulin Rouge proves funny on occasion, but generally the songs are worst than the original tunes and there is absolutely no worthwhile original music for the viewer to associate with the movie. No tune to whistle back home or remember the next day's morning. The camera work is mostly awful - it moves so fast in the club scenes that one is never left with any images of dancing or with any rythm, just a mixture of sounds, colours and movement that supposedly provides for the "crazy" atmosphere, I guess, but comes out tiresome and boring.
So we have a musical that is not funny but mostly annoyingly ridiculous, the music leaves us with no impression and no dance to watch and enjoy ( apart for the Spanish dance scene which is rather indifferent ). Then, of course, there is Nicole - she is gorgeous, sings surprisingly well and acts wonderfully, but all in the wrong movie I'm afraid.