A lot missing in the portrayal

Rating: 5/10 (2 June 2013)

The 2013 Baz Luhrmann movie is both hit and miss. The themes of excess, decadence, and idealism of 1922 Long Island New York were well done. However, the critical theme of hope fell short. Costumes and jewelry were beautifully and authentically represented, but the sets (particularly the New York scenes) looked like school dioramas.
I was extremely impressed with Elizabeth Debecki who played Jordan Baker, golf amateur and Daisy's friend. Not only was she the most beautiful and gorgeous woman in the film, she was true to character. I couldn't take my eyes off her. I think she stole the show in a riveting but subtle way. She of course was one of Gatsby's conduits to Daisy. However, in the book she is described as having "autumn-leaf yellow hair" yet in the film her hair is black (which is odd because in real life, Elizabeth is auburn-haired). The book hints as her being Nick Carraway's "girlfriend" but this is not depicted fully in the film.
Joel Edgerton who played Daisy's husband, Tom Buchanan, is an Australian affecting an American accent. It took me half-way into the film to get used to it (and there are many Australians playing Americans in the movie which can be quite distracting). After half-way, I thought Tom's character came to the fore and the awkward acting of the beginning was replaced with some superb scenes. So in effect Joel was weaker in the rich old-moneyed American scenes and exceptionally strong when deeper emotions are required.
Isla Fisher played Tom Buchanan's mistress and George Wilson the mechanic's wife, Myrtle. With less of a role, nevertheless she did a fine job. It's a pity that the over-hyped visual effects ruined the critical scene. Instead of a poignant scene, Luhrmann chose to make the gravity of the situation too obvious - and in slow motion - which was like using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut.
The narrator Nick Carraway was played by Tobey Maguire, working in the stock market and coming into the new-moneyed society. His character was too "starry-eyed" and sometimes clownish in his innocence. I would have liked to see more depth in his character.
Carey Mulligan played Daisy Buchanan. Her clothes, style, movement, looks, and naivety were all well done, but there was something missing. She didn't quite master the ethereal qualities which I think were the true Daisy. And she is not as sympathetic and warm as she would like people to believe, and although this was portrayed by Mulligan, again Baz Luhrmann hammered it home too much instead of letting the script tell the story.
I love Leonardo DiCaprio and all his work. Unfortunately he does not come close to the magnificent, powerful, emotive, love-struck, poor-boy-makes-it-rich rendition of Jay Gatsby. I don't think this was Leo's fault entirely – I think he was poorly directed by Baz Lurhmann. In wanting to make Gatsby the American symbol of hope, it was lost in too much facial expression which only served to exaggerate his feelings instead of letting the character emerge with a look, a smile, a turn of the head. It just, to me, looked like too much over-acting. He never really captured the gentleness and elegance of Gatsby. The closest he got was during the shirt scene in which he threw his shirts onto the bed and over Daisy and Nick. That was DiCaprio's finest moment – and his truest depiction of Gatsby. The rest did nothing for me, except the last scene in the swimming pool. That was finely acted.
Some reviewers wrote that it seemed that Luhrmann hadn't read the book carefully and I tend to agree. If he did, he had his own preconceptions of what he wanted to do. But even if you hadn't read the book, there were too many cringe-worthy factors in the movie, with only some "wow" factors, and not enough tenderness, subtlety, nuance, and love-lost poignancy.