Pleasure-drenched Celebration of a Time Gone By - Best Adaptation Till Date!

Rating: 7/10 (21 May 2013)

Gatsby, The Classic American Novel; when a movie is made on such a novel, which has gained so much popularity in the past decades and has even become a part of American high school curriculum, it is bound to get a lot a heat. Luhrmann's adaptation, though having some glaring flaws, is the best attempt till date.
The movie enthralled me with its spectacularly breathtaking visuals and strong soundtrack. Lana Del Rey's 'Young and Beautiful' is powerfully beautiful, and certainly deserves some awards. Coming back to the visuals, Luhrmann pays so much attention to the details from a character's dress to the carpets to the chandeliers - everything is colourful and extravagant. But this same attention to detail becomes a drawback as the emotional and intimate scenes lose some of their intensity behind these picturesque details. The interactions and confrontations feel like scenes from glitzy operatic drama. But other than that, the story is told quite well keeping with the pace and suspense of the piece; the mystery is maintained quite well.
With Leonardo DiCaprio's talent and persona, I could think of no one else who could have played Gatsby's role better; he sustains the shades and elements of the character quite naturally. Carey Mulligan plays the attractive, but self-centered and shallow, character of Daisy with such beauty and grace. Tobey Maguire is excellent as Carraway, and his brilliant narration helps in bringing the feel of Fitzgerald's lyrical prose.
No matter how much the movie is trashed, I can aptly say that it skillfully portrays the basic elements of the characters and the story - the roaring 'Jazz Age' of the 20's, self-reinvention, the great American dream. lost love, and unwillingness to let go of the past - and stays true to the book. Rather than being a completely conventional adaptation, it's more of a pleasure-drenched celebration of a time gone by.