The Great Gatsby (2013)

Directed by: Baz Luhrmann
Country: USA / Australia

Review: This modern version of F.Scott Fitzgerald’s great classic, directed by the always colorful but often exaggerated Baz Luhrman (“Romeo+Juliet”, “Moulin Rouge”), became a victim of its own ambitions. DiCaprio worked with Luhrmann for the second time in his career, but didn’t convince as Gatsby, who should have been played by some actor with much more mature aspect, like Robert Redford did in the 1974 version, directed by Jack Clayton. This Gatsby seemed to me more sociable and open than it was expected, with DiCaprio being incapable to pass the sensation of a mysterious and reserved man. Tobey Maguire’s performance as Nicky Carraway, ended up being the most noteworthy performance of this tragic love story. Luhrmann’s approach fell somewhere amidst the traditional and modern, creating a distorted image of a time, which was represented with an excess of baroque details, fancy technology on visuals, and a contemporary soundtrack that nothing has to do with the story of an ex-veteran of war that suddenly became an enigmatic millionaire. As positive aspects we have: the eccentric and well-choreographed dances, and the costume designs, which fell short to create the intended emotional impact.