'THE GREAT GATSBY'

'THE GREAT GATSBY' (PG-13) (3 STARS)

Written by Craig Pearce and Baz Luhrmann based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, Jason Clarke.

I never read "The Great Gatsby" in school, my school must have missed that one. I do know that my classmates might have liked to see Baz Luhrmann's movie adaptation. When I was a kid all we had was the boring and staid 1974 version with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. I also did not see that adaptation but I tried once and fell asleep. I wish I would have read the book because when Luhrmann's "Great Gatsby" settles down it is pretty compelling in a soapy, melodramatic way. It also kind of reminds me of a Shakespeare tragedy and that nicely fits with Luhrmann being the director of "Romeo and Juliet" which Leonardo DiCaprio also starred in. "Gatsby" reminds me of "Romeo and Juliet" with it's campy excesses and the actor's theatrical delivery of lines but movie goers will like this better.

In the first hour I was feeling uncomfortable and the movie was just bugging me. It takes a while to settle down and the movie starts roughly because it's weakest character is the only one we see for about 20 minutes. That is how long it takes for DiCaprio to get on screen. That weak character is actually the narrator and friend to Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, played stiffly by Tobey Maguire. I get that we don't see Gatsby till about 20 minutes in because that is the effect of the story. Everyone spreads rumors that Gatsby is a spy, no he has ties to Nazis and we know that Gatsby is a mystery to all and he throws parties where no one can find him at. When we get to finally encounter him we are happy but until then we have Nick who is either a dullard (I don't know, I didn't read the book) or Maguire is miscast and totally ineffective.

The first hour of the movie is also jumpy and the campy excess takes awhile to adapt to, this isn't your mother's "Gatsby". It is the same style as "Romeo and Juliet" and "Moulin Rouge", not my favorite movies but I like that Luhrmann makes his movies come alive and jump around and I like his camera movement. The movie is visually breathtaking and I like his wide angle shots where things come at you from the corner of the screens. The 3D helps and in this case is more necessary than most shameful 3D movies, it enhances the screen. That doesn't help you concentrate in the movie because the modern songs by Jay Z and others can distract. I liked the music though and besides the dull Nick Carraway the movie was always fun to look at. The Nick Carraway character though is still like that third wheel at a party that follows your hotter, more exciting friends around and drags down the party.

Then a really wonderful thing happens in the second hour of the movie. The story settles down and Fitzgerald's poetic dialogue comes through. I really like the writing in the second half and I started to really delve into the characters, now I want to read the book. There is some juicy melodrama and DiCaprio has some explosive moments and shines here. He is a great modern leading man, looks great here and commands the screen. I didn't feel that till the second hour though but his effective performance does come through. Carey Mulligan also continues to shine as Gatsby's love Daisy Buchannan. Joel Edgerton also has become one of our promising new actors with another stellar turn, all three actors adapt well to Luhrmann's heightened theatrical delivery. "The Great Gatsby" kept me spellbound after I got to settle in and I thought it was fun and beautiful to look at. I will take this over a "Titanic" or a stiff version like the 1974 film any day.