As a big fan of Baz Luhrmann and a fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald, it was hard for me to not enjoy the film. While I loved it personally and intend on seeing again, the critic part of me understands why it wasn't the best.
The introduction of the film begins with a twist on Nick Carraway, (played by Tobey Maguire). Don't worry, I am not going to tell you what it is, but I will say that it was a fair attempt at adding depth to his character. Did it change how I felt about the character? No. It was only slightly refreshing to have something seasoned into the story.
The set designs, costumes, and 3D graphics were appealing as with any Luhrmann film. It was not his finest work, but it still grabbed the attention of the audience. Gatsby was surely one of the better 3D films I have seen, being the first time I had really noticed words popping out of the screen. One of my colleagues who attended with me advised that after listening to N.P.R., Luhrmann had purposely made the film three dimensional because he believed that Fitzgerald would have wanted to have the most fancy and trendy presentation. Luhrmann was right.
So where did the film go wrong? Much like the original film, the story dragged. The characters may have been over-the-top, but Daisy (played by Carrie Mulligan), climbed over the success of the original Mia Farrow. I felt Mulligan acted with more depth and featured less coy behavior. Jay Gatsby (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), didn't develop as much I had hoped. What I did like was that the film went at a much faster pace, and featured a great soundtrack.
Much like those who interpret the book, some see it as more of a romance and some see it, like me, as an outsiders view of the "high life" made real.
Overall, the movie does require patience and a familiarity with the book. If you did not enjoy the book or the original movie, chances are you will not enjoy the remake. I, on the other hand, look forward to watching it again.
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