A Visually Stunning Roller-Coaster Ride.

Rating: 8/10 (11 May 2013)

Baz Luhrmann's version of the epic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a visually stunning roller-coaster ride.
The story follows bond salesman Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) as he meets his illustrious next door neighbor Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). He quickly learns that Gatsby is looking to meet up with his long lost love, Daisy (Carey Mulligan), who also happens to be Nick's cousin.
The movie starts off in an abrasive, loud, overwhelming manner that at the time seems confusing, yet as the movie goes on it becomes more clear. It features lavish party sequences at the Gatsby mansion that are beyond the wildest imagination. The realization is made that these wild scenes are merely to set up the legend that is Jay Gatsby.
As the story continues we learn some things about Gatsby's past. We learn of his love for Daisy and how it dates back 5 years. A man like Gatsby with such wealth and fame could have had any woman he wanted yet the only one he ever had a shred of interest in was Daisy, and to me that is what makes it such an intense, emotional love story.
The performances in the film are mostly phenomenal. Leonardo DiCaprio does a wonderful job playing the Gatsby character who is constantly toeing the line between edgy and calm. He makes it very easy to believe that his character Gatsby has a great deal of love for Daisy and that he very much cares about her each and every thought. Tobey Maguire does a solid job portraying our narrator and co-main character Nick Carraway. His nervous acting style works perfectly for this role as the character he plays is one that hasn't seen much and still doesn't know or understand much about the world he is being thrust into. Carey Mulligan plays Daisy very convincingly often being forced to show strong emotion, whether it be nerves or fright and so on. Joel Edgerton does a good job portraying the womanizing and intimidating Tom Buchanan.
The modern soundtrack works here and there, it certainly doesn't match the time period but it does spice things up.
All in all this latest version of The Great Gatsby is a success. The goal of any movie is to entertain and this certainly does that with mesmerizing visuals and strong emotional performances. The Great Gatsby is no 100% of what it could be but it is undoubtedly very close.
8/10