Gorgeous, dreamy, and true to the little novel of beautiful prose

Rating: 9/10 (12 May 2013)

Baz Luhmann hit this one out of the ballpark. I am almost 60 years old and this film was a thing of beauty and joy. It conveyed everything Fitzgerald was trying to say in his dreamy prose. I'd just love for Robert Redford to get together with Baz Luhrmann and Leonardo and chat about their visions interpreting a tiny novel about excess, hedonism, first loves, sacrifice, and Greek tragedy.
Read the novel first. Then watch the 1974 Robert Redford version. Then the TV version. Then this piece of art. You will be so pleased if you do those things in that order.
We read the novel in high school in the early 1970's, and were so excited to see the 1974 Robert Redford version. It was subtle, quiet, sweet, and delicate. Robert Redford conveyed everything about the Gatsby we envisioned. He was perfect. But the actors were generally too old, Tom was displayed as too possessive of this vacuous, simple, childlike creature named Daisy, Daisy got away with being stupid and unworthy, Bruce Dern was meaner than what we thought Tom was, and it did not clearly convey the idea that your can't go back in time, no matter how much you long for those times.
Baz Luhrmann is faithful to the novel and delightfully allows the prose to be read by Nick. Fitzgerald's words dance in your mind. They dance and swirl just like prose should. Just a few words convey colorful, powerful images.
Leonardo DiCaprio conveys the magnetism, desire, power, mystery, vulnerability, and pathos of the love-besotted Gatsby. Cary Mulligan is enchanting and beguiling as Daisy. You almost fall for her - until the movie moves along and you realize how empty she is. Her performance is equal or above Mia Farrow's.
Everything about Leonard DiCaprio's performance is perfect. The cocky confidence, craving yearnings, frustrated confusion, and beliefs in first love, are conveyed with perfection. His appearance on the screen just takes your breath away.
Leonardo will probably get Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of the tragic Gatsby. Although he isn't really the main actor - it's Toby McGuire as Nick. I think some of the downer reviews are out of frustration as Leonardo isn't on screen as much as Toby and the screen time isn't as much as when he just dominated the screen with brilliant performances in Blood Diamonds, The Departed, Gangs of New York, Titanic, and What's Eating Gilbert Grape. But when Leonardo is on screen - he emotes every nuance of Gatsby.
One more thing about the score - it fits perfectly with conveying the idea of excess. A Benny Goodman score just would not cut it nowadays with conveying the idea of Robber Barron and Prohibition excess. It is well done and JayZ or whatever his name is - is to be commended for blending the roaring 1920's risky music with today's "risky" music. Well done!