This is a review highlighting the success in The Great Gatsby

Rating: 9/10 (24 April 2014)

The Great Gatsby was originally a successful novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald but recently, has been translated in a different light in the 2013 film. Although I have not read the book, I have done research in which I have come to realize that they are almost identical in plots. The only thing moderately different, is the sequence of events climaxing to the ending in which remained the same in both the book and film.
Although the film had strong aspects and was truly successful, there were a few disappointments to me and many others one being the ending. This ending made me so mad but it honestly did wrap up the film in a proper way. Although the ending was unpredictable, something to consider is the fact that it remained the same in the novel and the film so it is not the movies fault for sticking to the original plot. Even though I am not particularly fond of the way the story comes to an end, I know that this was F. Scott Fitzgerald's concept and it was truly a good plan to stick with.
Another aspect of the film that fell a little short was the film maker's decision to have Nick, the main character, narrating the story from past to present inside a sanitarium. This implements a different mood throughout the movie than in the book which can change an audience's perception I personally do not think it hurts the overall content of the movie but I do think it was an odd and darker choice. Apart from these moderate downsides, let's look at the actual plot and the numerous positives that enhanced the success of The Great Gatsby.
The basic storyline of The GreatGatsby is about a young Wall Street worker, Nick Caraway, who becomes neighbors with a mysterious millionaire, Mr. Jay Gatsby. The story goes through his interactions with Mr. Gatsby and the constant attempt to reunite his cousin Daisy with Jay as lovers once again. All while this is going on, people are constantly trying to figure out who really was this Gatsby person? And where did he get all of that money? The entire plot has twists and turns and moments where I am sure your heart will just break!
This interpretation of The Great Gatsby was amazing primarily because of its cultural identity, prominent actors, and visuals. Firstly, the era The Great Gatsby is set in is the roaring twenties which was such a monumental time period and I'm sure a lot of fun to portray. They highlighted many of the main characteristics of this era but modernized them and put them in a new light.The makers of Gatsby especially paid attention to the costuming, language, and makeup for the time and it worked flawlessly. The costumes were true to the times but definitely modern and reborn to fit the big screen. The women were dressed chic with sleek pixie haircuts. Whereas the men were dressed dashingly in suits paired with straw boater hats which are trendy but timeless. These costumes were obviously well thought out which shows through their cohesive color combinations, amazing textures, and stunning accessories. Catherine Martin, the brains behind these beautiful costumes, also won the Oscar for best costume design and it shows through the film. The whole film had a regal and charming style which was kept entirely until the end and beautifully executed. Along with such spectacular style and makeup, the language also put this film into the twenties mind set. They said things we today would not typically identify with and in a much lighter tone than how most society would talk in the year 2014. Phrases like "ole sport" and 'my darling" are not typically used in every day speech and it's refreshing to see a cast devote themselves to the era and the culture. This could have gone wrong if the actors did not commit completely to the time, but I think they performed it beautifully in their speech. The little things like this are what makes movie magic so great!
Thirdly, the actors were absolutely captivating within The Great Gatsby. The actors ranged from the stunning Leonardo DiCaprio, the mysterious Toby Maguire, and new faces like Carey Mulligan. Gathering a cast that is already well known is always a great idea to initially draw an already existing audience. This was well executed by casting Leonardo to play the rich and desirable character and someone like Toby to play the average man trying to achieve the great American dream. Although Carey was a fresh new face, she is beautiful and exudes innocence which was perfect for her role. Overall, the acting was a joy to watch and everyone that was casted fit their roles perfectly. Lastly, various other aspects of this film enhanced its originality as well, such as its hit soundtrack. Music scoring in a film is vital to its success, and The Great Gatsby's soundtrack is one of the best I have heard. I love the way they took the classic twenties swing music and blended it with modern day rap music to make a powerful mix. Some people may argue the point that rap does not enhance the events within the film, but there is a meaning behind their choices in music. The rap/pop influences within the music creates that modern flare people are looking for in a revised version of an old classic. The lyrics talk about some main elements of the actual story line like partying, success, and love but in a way that translates better to audiences today. Artists like Fergie, Lana Del Ray, and Jay Z are featured in this soundtrack and really work to the films advantage. With all of this being said, I highly recommend this film to audiences of all ages. Go watch it!