No Laws. No Limits. One Rule. See This Movie and You Will Fall In Love.

Rating: 10/10 (20 January 2002)

The first time I saw the film, I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. I came away not really sure what the colorful, unique, fast-paced piece of art was really all about. I liked it, but I didn't know why. But this is not a shortcoming of the film, but probably its greatest strength: it makes you watch it again.and again...and again until you cannot stop.
Moulin Rouge creates its own genre: a mixture of a musical, a comedy, a romance, a drama, and a tragedy. It is also a mixture of a film, a play, and a dance show. It takes the best from each of these genres and each of these art mediums to create an unforgettable classic. Baz Luhrmann has succeeded in creating a world that you can escape to, be entertained by, be moved by, and never want to leave.
Although many of the songs in the film are not original, the film transforms popular songs into "Moulin Rouge" music. The songs fit seamlessly into the story and are sung and danced to with such talent, that soon the film version of the song may become your favorite. The music is simply exceptional. The soundtrack, unfortunately, does not take many of the best songs from the film and, in fact, only one of the songs on the soundtrack is exactly how it appears in the film.
Besides the music, the other strongest asset of the film is the acting. Each actor/actress creates such an indelible and developed character that it will be difficult to accept the actors/actresses playing roles in any other film. For example, Ewan McGregor seemed totally out of place in Black Hawk Down, his next feature film, playing a soldier (with a virtually shaved head) in the U.S. Army. Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, and Richard Roxburgh tie the choppy scenes of the film together and all deserve awards. The surprisingly good singing by Kidman, McGregor, and Broadbent, who provide their own voices for their songs, define their characters.
What truly makes the film a classic is that you can go to any scene in the film and be both entertained and moved. Every scene is done with such style, such phenomenal acting, and often performed to stunning music and dance, that this film has a timeless quality.
Besides being entertaining, what makes a film a truly great and unforgettable film is if it has meaning. From beginning to end, Moulin Rouge is about "Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and above all Love." Moulin Rouge is in fact a fairy tale, and like all classic fairy tales, its purpose is not only to transport you into another world, but also to leave you with a new meaning about your own world. "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return."
So, remember, watch Moulin Rouge open-minded, and then see it again and again and again...
10/10 -- One of the best films, one of the best musicals, and one of the best love stories ever.