Visually Stunning

Rating: 9/10 (5 May 2003)

In an age where there are so many movies provided for us, it's easy to subscribe to the cookie-cutter films that Hollywood turns out. It's also easy for a jaded old salty dog like myself to find tedium in a lot of what is offered to us today. A movie that makes me feel like I am about 8 years old because I am excited and enthralled at what is happening on the screen is therefore, a rarity. This film is a rare gem that made me feel that way.
Moulin Rouge is the story of Satine (Nicole Kidman), the most popular courtesan in Paris and Christian (Ewan MacGregor), her lover. It is an unlikely romance between an unattainable woman and an impoverished writer, which must be kept hidden because Satine has been essentially betrothed to the man who is financially backing the Moulin Rouge, The Duke (Richard Roxborough).
Before this film, I could tolerate Kidman, but never thought she was anything above a mediocre actress. She always played a kind of "ice queen" in her films, with average results. In Moulin Rouge however, she literally blossoms. She proves that she can play comedy, tragedy and even sing fairly well in the course of one film. I've always liked MacGregor, who has shown a lot of versatility in his films which have been of the independent genre for the most part. Roxborough is both hilarious and frightening as the controlling Duke, and Jim Broadbent is absolutely amazing as Harold Zidler, the Emcee of the Moulin Rouge and father figure to Satine. Other than Kidman's performance, I would wager that John Leguizamo as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is the best example of casting against type. Historically, Toulouse-Lautrec was an extremely tragic figure, and the film, while giving us the free-spirit elements to his character, also subtlety explores his darker side as well.
The biggest star of Moulin Rouge however is the director, Baz Luhrmann. While I did not particularly like his first film, Strictly Ballroom, I did appreciate the colorful set designs he employed. I feel he sharpened his vision in his second film, Romeo & Juliet, and then achieved perfection in this film. There is so much to appreciate: The use of sharp colors, the fantastical elements, the innovative cinematography and slick camera angles. The use of modern music to tell a story of life 100 years ago was daring, but I feel it fit into the film amazingly well. Luhrmann has become one of those directors that I will definitely seek out, regardless of the subject matter because I know that the production values will be more than worth the price of admission.
**Possible Spoiler Alert**
I watched this film with a friend who was really into the movie but ended up assessing that she didn't like it because she didn't like the ending since it bummed her out. You are told the ending within the first 5 minutes of the film, but that doesn't prepare you for the scene when it is actually acted out. In his last two films, Baz Luhrmann has pretty much made a habit of riding you on an emotional roller coaster - you feel happy when the characters are happy and even a cynical person like me was into the romantic story because it was so convincingly played out. I like to liken what happens next with his films as "getting hit by a truck, then run over repeatedly." He brings you to an emotional high and then pretty much crushes you, even though you knew what was coming. I have seen this movie about 5 times now and I was still bawling at several points in the film.

So if you're looking for a pick me up and you want to see a great romantic comedy, this one is probably not the one you want for that mood. But if you are looking for a well-rounded film that is visually shocking and brilliantly enacted and directed, this is a must see. It is definitely one of my favorites of this century and still my pick for Best Picture of 2001.
--Shelly