What is greater than Leonardo DiCaprio in a 1920s period piece with a Lana Del Rey song in it??
The Great Gatsby is a Baz Luhrmann-directed film that is based on the same-titled book by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The movie was released on May 1, 2013, and centers on Nick Carraway, a young bond salesman who relocates to New York in the summer of 1922 in search of his fortune. He develops a fascination for Jay Gatsby, his mysterious and affluent neighbor, who hosts lavish parties at his estate. The mysterious and affluent Gatsby is discovered to have amassed his wealth through bootlegging alcohol. Nick is quickly sucked into Gatsby’s world, becoming his confidant and assisting him in getting back together with Daisy Buchanan, his lost lover who is now wed to the wealthy and violent Tom Buchanan. Among the topics addressed in the movie are love, money, and the American Dream. Gatsby is murdered at the end of The Great Gatsby. Tom was having an affair with a woman named Myrtle Wilson. Despite it being a poor decision, her husband, George Wilson, shoots Gatsby because he assumed he was having an affair with his wife. Gatsby’s vision of a life of love and luxury was ultimately impractical, and Nick Carraway’s contemplation at the film’s climax emphasizes how Gatsby’s life was nothing more than the futile pursuit of an unachievable goal. Nick departs from the Midwest, having accepted the emptiness of his former existence and the moral decay it represented. The film depicts the splendor and excess of the era, while also addressing the darker side of riches, power, and love. Elizabeth Debicki plays Jordan Baker, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jay Gatsby, Tobey Maguire plays Nick Carraway, Carey Mulligan plays Daisy Buchanan, Joel Edgerton plays Tom Buchanan, Isla Fisher plays Myrtle Wilson, and George Wilson is played by Jason Clarke.
Compared to Jack Clayton’s 1974 version, Luhrmann tops it with his adaption. With a talented A-list cast, they portray strong performances that reflect the characters in the book. Notably, DiCaprio plays the best Jay Gatsby. He has the perfect amount of mystery and charm. He delivers a complex and nuanced portrayal that perfectly depicts Gatsby’s fragility. Gatsby is still a sad person despite his money and influence because he is tormented by his past and utterly obsessed with getting his love back. The film keeps you guessing who Gatsby is until he finally shows up. The shots only show a shadow of Gatsby, and it doesn’t show his face, which makes viewers wonder, who is Gatsby? Maguire is an amazing Nick Carraway. He’s likable, honest, and nonjudgmental. His performance is grounded and gives the viewer a reliable narrator. Although he is drawn to the exhilarating and fast-paced lifestyle of New York, he is also aware of its hideous and destructive elements. He has moral integrity and frequently critiques individuals and their deeds. Nick narrates, “In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”
On the other hand, Mulligan is equally impressive as Daisy Buchanan, capturing both her beauty and her complicated inner life. Sophisticated and shallow, Mulligan portrays the insufferable qualities detailed in the book. Although she may be affectionate, her true passion is for the luxuries and comforts that money can buy. She finds it difficult to hold onto her intense love and dedication in spite of this. She is represented as a representative of the old money class. Daisy tells Nick about her daughter Pammy in the film, “She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head away and wept. I said, ‘I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool, that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” Lastly, Edgerton’s performance is exactly like how Tom Buchanan is portrayed in the novel. He’s a brute, racist, hot-headed, and tempered. Tom is from old money, and he enjoys showing off his wealth. He is a conceited person who thinks he is better than others because of his riches and social standing. Mulligan and DiCaprio have passionate and romantic chemistry. Their chemistry has a feeling of nostalgia, and you can feel the long-lost connection between the two.
Elizabeth Debicki’s portrayal of Jordan Baker is another notable aspect. Even though she is a side character, she does the part with a subtle intensity. Conveying Jordan’s cold and cynical demeanor while still managing to make her a likable and interesting character. The physical presence of Debicki, with her stunning height and striking features, is especially noticeable and contributes to the character’s unforgettable representation. She is the ideal antithesis to the other characters in the movie because of her calm, collected manner, and steely glare, which give the impression of a lady in complete control of herself and her environment. Debicki and Mulligan’s Daisy Buchanan in particular have great chemistry and complement each other well in their interactions. The complexity and intensity of their interactions allude to a more profound past between the characters that are never fully revealed but is always felt.
Jordan is expertly portrayed by Debicki, who successfully conveys her aloofness and sense of separation from the world. She is also praised for having a commanding physical presence and the capacity to exude mystery and intrigue.
Nevertheless, Debicki’s performance is regarded as a highlight in the movie and contributed to her becoming a rising star in Hollywood.
Something I admired was how the film adds details from the book and some exact dialogue. For example, in the scene where Daisy and Gatsby meet again and rekindle their romance, the movie shows the scene for exactly thirty seconds like the way Fitzgerald describes it in the book. “For half a minute there wasn’t a sound” (Fitzgerald 67). Daisy also says in the book and in the film, “They’re such beautiful shirts,” she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. “It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such beautiful shirts before” (Fitzgerald 72). Additionally, the set design is dazzling and vast. The Great Gatsby captures how magnificent Gatsby’s mansion is and how extravagant his parties are supposed to be. Like many of Luhrmann’s films, the cinematography is stunning and visually appealing. The aesthetics and fashion of his films are on theme with the setting and time period. Catherine Martin created the costumes. Martin used 1920s clothing as her starting point for her designs, but she also gave the outfits a contemporary spin.
The use of music in The Great Gatsby is one of its most remarkable features. Jay-Z, Lana Del Rey, and Florence + The Machine are just a few of the modern and vintage tunes that make up Luhrmann’s soundtrack. The use of modern songs like $100 Bill by Jay-Z makes it different from other period pieces, with both a classic and modern touch. Although it may seem strange for a historical drama, the music supports the story’s themes and gives the movie a timeless feel. The varied blending of genres on the soundtrack is characteristic of Luhrmann’s work. The soundtrack’s objective, according to the music supervisor, was to revive the mood of the Roaring Twenties in the contemporary age.
Lana Del Rey’s Young and Beautiful is the perfect song for the film. The song’s message encapsulates the film’s central concept, and it has a nostalgic, cinematic, but romantic atmosphere. The song’s lyrics reflect themes of American decadence, longing, and burning desire that are present throughout the entire film.
Despite its many strengths, the film is not without its flaws and differences from the book. Tom in the film looks very different compared to how he is described in Fitzgeralds’ novel. He is characterized as having straw-colored hair and a cruel physique with enormous might. In the film, Tom has brown hair and is not as muscular. “He was a sturdy, straw-haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner. Two shining, arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward. Not even the effeminate swank of his riding clothes could hide the enormous power of that body” (Fitzgerald 8).
Luhrmann’s visual aesthetic can occasionally be overpowering and garish. Sometimes it can feel as if the film is about to break into a musical number. The extravagance is as big as Luhrmann’s other film, Moulin Rouge, which gives the musical feel. The movie’s pacing is also problematic, with some sequences going on for much too long and others feeling hurried. The first few scenes which were based on the first few chapters felt too rushed. The first half of the movie leads up to Daisy and Gatsby’s meeting, and it is too quick. Which may make it hard for viewers to catch their breath. But once the affair between Daisy and Gatsby begins, the pacing slows down and allows viewers to get lost in the story. In addition, Daisy’s daughter, Pammy is hardly shown even though she is an integral symbol in the book. She’s only mentioned in one scene and appears at the end of the movie, where she asks her mother where they are going. However, in the book, Pammy is a symbol of how the past cannot be relived. Gatsby sees Pammy go up to Daisy, and he starts to realize that she has a daughter and that Pammy was not part of the past. Pammy can’t be erased, everything is in the present.
The Great Gatsby is fundamentally a story of destined love, ambition, and the American Dream.
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The level of detail and accuracy with which Luhrmann’s adaptation brings to life the individuals and places are simply astounding. It brilliantly depicts the frenzied energy and excess of the 1920s. Every element of the movie has been meticulously designed to immerse spectators in the world of the novel, from the flapper costumes and tuxedos worn by the characters to the elaborate Art Deco architecture of Gatsby’s estate. But overall, The Great Gatsby is a gorgeous and ambitious adaptation of one of the finest books of the 20th century. The strong and adventurous vision of Luhrmann captures the spirit of the time while still making it seem current and relevant. The film is appealing to both fans of the book and to the younger generation. With spectacular images and an enduring soundtrack, the movie is a feast for the eyes and ears. Fans of the book and anyone searching for an aesthetically stunning and emotionally stirring movie should see “The Great Gatsby” despite its limitations.
