Who would've thought a 2 hour sing-song could be so good?

Rating: Null/10 (4 September 2001)

Last year Gladiator swept the board at the Oscars as critics heralded a return to classic cinema. So if the old Roman epic could be successful again, then how about a musical?
Ewan McGregor stars as Christian, a young writer living in 1899 Paris. He opts to write a play and is drawn into the sexy underground world of the Moulin Rouge club where he falls for the highest paid star, Satine (Kidman). Their love affair cannot last however as the Duke who owns the deed to the club insists on claiming Satine as his own.
In today's cinematic style, you might think that a two-hour sing-song holds little relevance, yet the musical tributes take in everything from The Beatles to Nirvana to Madonna and on the whole come out unscathed and entertaining. The whole basis of the film is also helped, of course, by the fact that Nicole and Ewan really can sing.
The lavish costumes and careful attention to detail is reminiscent of something from the golden age of cinema, yet director Baz Luhrmann's style is full of colour, vibrancy and energy, taking a 1930's ideal and using the possibilities of modern technology to show it's full appeal.
The true stars though are without doubt Nicole and Ewan. The pair have a genuine talent for delicate comedy yet also maintain terrific on-screen chemistry: and it is this where the real spark in the film lies.

The scene with Christian reading his poetry to Satine oozes sex appeal from Kidman's part while McGregor's facial expressions amuse at the same time. It is a credit to both of them as well as Luhrmann that they can take this setting and evolve it into an incredibly touching serenade before reverting back to the funniest scene in the movie.
There are a few quibbles: the first 45 minutes is perhaps too muddled, certain characters (Toulouse Lautrec) are sorely under used, and it is slightly too long, but ultimately these are minor indifferences compared to what is a truly remarkable spectacle.
Luhrmann together with joint writer Craig Pearce have written what is almost worthy of a Shakespearean tragedy as they blend delicate humour with a touch of romance and ultimate heartbreak. After a summer of movie indifference, Moulin Rouge has proved the light at the end of the tunnel as finally cinema-goers can have something to appreciate.
8/10