Luhrmann opts for Visualization over Narration in his version of 'Gatsby'

Rating: 8/10 (20 May 2013)

--What I DID enjoy--
Luhrmann has a certain cinematic style that is instantly identifiable in all of his movies. It's almost dream-like and misty; reminds me sort of the style of directors like Adrian Lyne, who used certain colors, fog machines, lighting, camera angles, and lens effects to create an atmosphere on screen that would become almost a trademark. Luhrmann's style is reminiscent of a children's pop-up book.
I love the fact that this movie acted out scenes that other Gatsby films neglected. For example, Daisy's wedding. Every time I would read this scene in the book, or hear Mia Farrow's monologue (from the 1974 version) about how the letter fell to pieces in the bathwater 'like snow,' I would try to visualize Daisy in her wedding dress, on her wedding day, drunk as hell and crying; and now, I was able to actually see this. Baz's choice to include this scene brought different layers to Daisy's character. It showed that perhaps she really did love Gatsby, but she was conflicted. I think if you don't see this, and it is instead only narrated in film, you almost wonder if this is just a story made up by Daisy to keep Gatsby under her love-spell. Acting out the scene humanized Daisy a bit more, and wins more sympathy from the audience; at least, for a short period of time until we see more undesirable traits surface later in the story!
Another moment from the book I was happy to see come to life was Gatsby's past and how he came to be rich. This was a real treat for me, not to mention the cinematography was really beautiful with the horizon in the sky and Gatsby on the boat.
I also loved the scenes that showed Gatsby courting Daisy in their younger years; this was something I always wanted to see.
I loved DiCaprio's Gatsby. I know a few people who thought otherwise, like my mother who said Leo was too old for this. I'm sorry mom, but I found Leonardo very attractive as Gatsby and I didn't find it hard to believe. (Leo is 38, Gatsby was 32). When you see Dicaprio on screen, you can tell that this was the role that he had been waiting to play. You could see him transform into this character. He showed us the character's obsession, delusion, anxiety, fear. He also brilliantly gave us a taste of Gatsby's volcanic anger that had been bubbling beneath the cool exterior of a man who would otherwise be described by Daisy as always looking 'cool', mellow and transparent like the "advertisement of a man."
--What I DIDN'T enjoy--
The first scene in which we see Gatsby driving Nick around in the Yellow car; bring your motion sickness pills!
I didn't like that they were trying to infer that Gatsby had taken Daisy's virginity. That didn't happen, in fact, I'm not sure Daisy EVER actually had sex with Gatsby. Daisy was supposed to be a delicate flower, the 'golden girl,' the débutante.
I didn't like the choice in music. Usually I love Baz Luhrmann's choice for his soundtracks. His "Romeo + Juliet" used modern music--but that was because it was 'Romeo & Juliet' set in modern times-- and his "Moulin Rouge" also successfully used modern music, but with "The Great Gatsby" this didn't work at all for me. It just felt awkwardly out of place. I came to the movies to escape modernity! To be brought back to the time of the roaring twenties! And why didn't they include the "Ain't we got fun" song? That was a song actually specifically mentioned in the book, and it served a purpose to the story! Also, I didn't like the film's choice for the character of Klipspringer....he looked too much like a hippie version of Kenny G.
Baz did what no director should EVER try to do: attempt to change Great Classic American Literature. Luhrmann went beyond taking creative liberties when he made Nick Carraway the author of "The Great Gatsby", writing it out at a sanitarium for alcoholics. M'kay. We all know it was F.Scott Fitzgerald who wrote the book...... and as F.Scott once wrote in a letter to Hollywood director/producer Joseph Mankiewicz: "For nineteen years, I have written best-selling entertainment and my dialogue is supposedly right up at the top, but I learned from the script that you've suddenly decided it isn't good. Oh Joe, can't producers ever be wrong? I'm a good writer——honest!" - F.Scott Fitzgerald. I agree with F.Scott, leave the storytelling to him!
I didn't like Daisy's hairstyle, I think it should have been a finger-waved bob. There were a couple dresses she wore that I thought were the wrong choice, but there were also many costumes she wore that I liked.
I thought whoever was in charge of makeup fell short. One thing that really bothered me were the scenes involving Myrtle's death. When they pulled the cover off of Myrtle, the injuries (cuts, bruises etc) looked so fake to me; it looked like the work of a high school drama production. Another place where I saw makeup issues was with Myrtle's sister where there was a close up on her face and her lipstick was flaking off of her chapped lips, and then in the next frame it would disappear.
Continuity errors, for example: when Gatsby arrives at the cottage doors he is completely soaked from head to toe from the rain. Then suddenly we see him sitting in the chair and he is completely dry.
We never get to see Jay's father Mr. Gatz come after Gatsby dies.