Tragic tale of a war veteran trying to get his young love back.

Rating: Null/10 (16 October 2013)

I saw the earlier "Gatsby" movie with Robert Redford all those many years ago, and I don't remember much about it. Now I have to re-watch it to compare, but I believe the basic story is faithful to the book.
Leonardo DiCaprio is Jay Gatsby. That isn't his real name, at least it wasn't the one he had for most of his life. Growing up rural and poor he eventually left home, encountered a sailor, and from the older man learned how to become a "gentleman" in modern society. But when the older man died, and the surviving family inherited all the money, Gatsby moved on with his new, more sophisticated name.
At some point as a young adult he fell in love with pretty Carey Mulligan as Daisy. But when he went off to war they lost contact, and she married to become Daisy Buchanan. Her husband is Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan, a wealthy man, some called him "the polo player", living in a mansion on a bay on Long Island.
So after a few introductory scenes that I found a bit unclear and disjointed, the story became Gatsby's quest to regain the love of Daisy. It is 1922. His method was to get very rich, ostensibly via illegal commerce, and buy the even more ostentatious mansion across the bay. Here New Yorkers would come often for lavish parties, with entertainment, all without invitations. Gatsby hoped one of those parties would bring Daisy back to him.
Tobey Maguire also has a key role as Nick Carraway, a writer whom Gatsby had befriended, and who tells much of the story from a doctor's office.
It is important to remember this is a Baz Luhrman film, and as such has a certain look and pace to it. I enjoyed it after the opening scenes were passed and the story began in earnest.
Spoilers: As we know the story ends tragically. Gatsby tries very hard to get Daisy to admit she never loved Tom, that she still loves Gatsby, that she will divorce Tom and they will go away to a new life. But a gas station man mistakenly believes Gatsby was having an affair with his wife (Isla Fischer), when it really was Tom, so he shoots and kills Gatsby, ending his dream of getting Daisy back.