Daisy what Daisy...

Rating: 6/10 (3 June 2013)

Where does one begin to write a review for The Great Gatsby. The story line without the doubt is captivating and will save any production no matter who the director is.
Baz Lurhmann is without a doubt champion of modern interpretations and gets a 10/10 for his productions of Romeo and Juliet and Mullin Rouge. Gatsby however is a different matter. It is fine to use modern music in a 1920s film as long as it fits the story line and captures the mood the storyteller is trying to portray so desperately. In this case Luhrmann has definitely failed. You can not have people dancing Charleston to Beyoncé's Crazy Right Now or Jay Z's raps. You can not talk about the emptiness of the upper class of 1920's New York when the background score tells you, you are lost in somewhere in time
This unfortunately undermines what could have been a wonderful interpretation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic. Of course there are elements that save the film. Toby Maguire IS Nick Carraway the best thing in the film. He narrates the story perfectly and took us on a great ride of emotion and helps us navigate our way through the craziness of Lurhmann's imagery and characters. Unfortunate Daisy (Carey Mulligan) the girl the whole fuss is about is only seen for 4 forgettable scenes in this film and I cannot help to wonder where in the film ''her voice smelled of money''. Why the obsession?
Myrtle (Isla Fisher) Tom's Mistress is shown twice. Why do we have to feel sorry for her? How about Wilson?
As for Di Caprio, his performance is the usual good but nothing unexpected. The element of mystery is completely absent from his performance and the phrase 'Old Sport' comes out of his mouth with the usual childish immaturity that is in his voice when he plays Jack in Titanic.
The last 20 minutes of this film and the intensity of the story line however save the whole production. You will come out with wet eyes and reflect on Gatsby because of those 20 minutes. Otherwise the 3D does nothing to make the scenes memorable or the images extraordinary. The characters a part from Nick and Gatsby are not explored enough for you to sympathise or understand them and certain crucial parts feels rushed.
Do see it and you will enjoy the experience of it as it is an over all good film but if you are a fan of the book, the old film or love the era then you will be greatly disappointed.