Overall a great achievement on a great but difficult book

Rating: 10/10 (5 February 2014)

I suppose, in most cases, whenever a beloved American classic is adapted to the screen there will be contention on the merits of the film. In Baz Luhrmann's vision of "The Great Gatsby" there appears to be even more criticism probably due to the fact that there have been many other film versions and because the book is so beloved by so many. It is difficult for people to not compare and contrast this film and in the process become overly critical. However, Luhrmann's rendition of "The Great Gatsby" really works and everything from the vividness of the set design, to the weaving of Fitzgerald's prose into the film, to the performances of the cast, was adeptly executed.
I was impressed by Luhrmann's adaptation of Fitzgerald's iconic work of literature. For the most part, all of Fitzgerald's major themes are compellingly and stylishly represented: The rich and nouveau riche are all shown with the over-the-top excesses of the "haves" and aptly juxtaposed with the "have-nots" who are decent people trying to survive; The discrimination and feeling of contempt by those who were bred in a privileged society as opposed to those who newly acquired their wealth; The inability to extricate oneself from the past and to understand the nature of true love; How those with the most hide behind their fortune and could care less about the rest of society including those who work for them. All these major themes are clearly represented in the film and hammered home by the solid performances of the actors.
Because the film, by and large, was faithful to Fitzgerald's work the themes that were explored in the book remain intact in the film. This film is an instant classic because it did not diverge too far from the classic it was based on. Although Fitzgerald's book was written in the 1920's we see the rich in our society pretty much act the same way today. After all, few can argue that the financial collapse that hit our economy within the past five years was not in large part due to the "carelessness" of the rich who promulgated the reckless borrowing while at the same time hedging their bets against those that borrowed. There are still those in the wealthy segments of our society that can afford to be careless precisely because they are rich and their wealth was often begotten by that very carelessness of others. Luhrmann's film accurately reiterates this theme and other themes because it stayed true to Fitzgerald's vision of America.
"The Great Gatsby" is an excellent film because it accurately captures the themes of the original author, and is as relevant today as it will be in the future.