A Great Movie, But Built Around a Trailer

Rating: 6/10 (9 June 2013)

I'm a big fan of Baz, I'm a big fan of Jay-Z and I'm big fan of DiCaprio and Tobey in this movie, but something doesn't sit right when I watch this.
It's not a secret that this movie is visually captivating. The costumes, atmospheres and soundtrack all work together to make an alive, pastel delight. Simply put, it is fun.
To me it felt like all the elements were there. Obviously the plot line is solid, the acting is great and of course the visuals. Somewhere in the process of making this movie though, it feels like the overall direction was lost. There was a certain incongruity underneath it all.
For example the parties in the movie, as most will agree, are extravagant, but the emphasis put on them, and the general bravado of the film almost seem like the centre-piece with the storyline, and character development tacked on top. I didn't feel engaged on a human level. It seemed to me that every line from the trailer was over pronounced in the actual film, which not only made me think that the trailer was over hyping, but also that the film was made with the trailer in mind, which makes sense considering the lack of focus and direction.
Overall this movie was fun and had a certain wow-factor that makes it worth seeing in 3D, but there was an overpowering sense of the whole thing being stitched together, without having someone smooth out the overall shape to something that made sense through and through.
But of course, this is just my opinion. Many of my friends loved this film, and I'm sure many more will too.
Enjoy!