GREAT GATSBY - A REVIEW

I saw Great Gatsby today. While I have never read the novel (I am a huge believer of always reading the book first before seeing the movie but this was not a novel I could easily come across), I did not go to the cinemas with any delusions.

 

I know that a good number of movie critics had written this movie short and ridiculed all that pertained to it. But I have always wondered, how does anyone go to see a movie adaptation of a novel and expect it to be just as thrilling as the book? No one has been able to do that thus far. The most any director can do is come close. But he can certainly not produce the excellent effects of the book which your mind and memory have placed such high esteem upon. Why do people still bother trying then?

 

Great Gatsby is a drama. Following the life of Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), an extremely wealthy man who threw large wild parties in New York before the great Depression all because he was hoping to catch the sights of a woman who he was in love with. The story is told through the narration of Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) who lived next door to Gatsby.

 

Well, I liked this movie. Perhaps the fact that I had not read the book was a good thing as it gave me an unbiased outlook into the movie. Baz Lurhmann's directing was really quite extravagant with such bright colours and visual effects. The movie was quite bright. Seems Baz put more into the bright scenes than to other detail. The party scenes were most glamorous and exciting. Kind of pulling you in. Tobey Maguire's role was really boring. Hopefully, that was how the story wanted him to be. I like Tobey though. I like that boyish innocent look about him that time and Hollywood have unsuccessfully and thankfully failed to wipe off him.

 

One thing I particularly loved about this movie was the music. It was a blend of of hip-hop meets pre-depression. 21st century rap and whatnot. And it blended so well with the scenes, it was fun to watch.

 

I like Leonardo's presence in the movie. Although I got the feeling that this movie spoke more about the Director than of the characters. I don't know how that works but that was the feeling I got. Gatsby's name was called so many times in the movie that 10minutes after I was out of the cinemas, "GATSBY GATSBY GATSBY" was ringing in my head.

Cheers to you too, Gatsby!

Me, I like the movie. Don't mind dem critics. Go see it for yourself and have a good time.

Ciao now!