The most daring, inventive, kinetic, sweet and fabulous film of 2001.

Rating: 10/10 (4 June 2001)

Let me begin with a quick aside to a few of the other reviewers. Never, ever review a film that you haven't seen in its entirety. Doing so reveals an incredible contempt for the medium.
Moulin Rouge is quite simply the best film to come out of a major Hollywood studio in quite some time it compares favorably to Fight Club (the movie), Rent (the musical) and One Hundred Years of Solitude (the book).
Whether you like it will depend quite a lot on you. You can't just sit and watch Moulin Rouge like you would a simpler movie. You either accept the Universe Baz creates or you don't. I personally find Baz's world exhilarating and embraced it gladly.
While the triumph of Moulin Rouge is ultimately the director's--he couldn't have gotten there without wonderful performances by his cast and company (and crew). The cast is exceptional and well chosen. Kidman shines as the courtesan Satine. Her voice is surprisingly warm especially in the Sparkling Diamonds and I'll Fly Away numbers. Ewan McGregor is (as others have mentioned) the real surprise--should he choose he could junk the Movie Star life for the Rock Star life.
The supporting cast is, if anything, even better in their roles. Jim Broadbent is simply spectacular--and Oscar worthy--as Zindel. Roxburgh has the toughest role in the film (the villain Duke) and handles it expertly. Leguizamo's (Toulouse-Lautrec) lisp is somewhat off-putting--but apparently true to life. Regardless his energy wins you over by the end of the movie.
After my first viewing my single strongest feeling was shock that such a movie made it through the studio process (Fight Club generated a similiar feeling--wasn't that a 20thCentury flick as well?). I can not recommend this movie enough--it is one for the ages. Don't wait for the video or DVD this movie demands to be seen (and seen again and again) in the theatre.