Overall an entertaining film

Rating: 8/10 (12 May 2013)

First of all, I want to say that I have not read the book or seen the original movie for The Great Gatsby. I am writing strictly from a movie- goer's perspective.
This is not one of the best films I have seen, but it is definitely not a bad film. The film immerses you into the plot and character relationships, all revolving around the same person: Jay Gatsby. I think the best casting decision in this film was having Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby. He did an excellent job conveying Gatsby's hope, passion, and borderline desperation as he plasters on fake smiles and hosts extravagant parties to attract the attention of the woman he is in love with, and the whole film basically rides on his performance. Of course, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, and Tobey Maguire were great as well.
The visuals and soundtrack are amazing. Even if you don't find this movie very good, you can't deny that it's beautiful to look at. It really pops out at you.
I will say that I enjoyed the middle and end more than the beginning. There was something about the beginning that I didn't quite like. I found it strange and a little slow. Luckily, it really improved as the movie went on.
Overall, this is a great film and certainly an entertaining one. Please don't go in to the theater ready to compare this film to the book, and just look at it as a film. My friend, who watched the movie with me, has read the book but pushed the book out of her mind as she watched the film, and enjoyed the film very much. This one is definitely worth a watch.