A film that is OK but which is essentially a disappointment

Rating: 6/10 (29 May 2013)

"The Great Gatsby" is a novel of style and substance. This film version of the book is a triumph of the former over the latter. It's not a bad movie. It's visually stunning; it's well-acted; and the soundtrack is (perhaps unsurprisingly) very good. But the plot and the characterisation seem to play second fiddle to the director's insistence on giving greater emphasis to the costumes, to the cinematography and to an overall sense of spectacle. The result is an enjoyable but ultimately shallow film that fails to interact sufficiently with the viewer. A disappointment. Read the novel instead (if you haven't already done so). 6/10.