The Great Gatsby (PG-13)

An astounding adaptation of a novel is rare. Some notable greats include “The Silence of the Lambs,” “Fight Club,” and recently, “Life of Pi.” There are bad ones – like every other Stephen King adaptation that isn’t handled by acclaimed directors or starring great actors. The newest book-to-movie adaptation is “The Great Gatsby,” where Baz Luhrmann decides to stay faithful to the source material, turning in a great adaptation of a highly acclaimed book.

Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) is a Midwestern war veteran who moves to Long Island, and soon becomes attracted to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Luhrmann takes a unique, stylish approach to the source material, and there’s enough substance to keep moviegoers satisfied. However, some scenes are odd, yet others feel empty and ring dull. This is most notable in the interaction at the barbershop between Wolfsheim, Gatsby, and Carraway. Still, the audience feels the emotions they’re supposed to feel, and they become invested in the few characters (Gatsby, Carraway) that are actually likeable. The symbols of the Green Light and the Eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg are significant enough to the story that they begin to become characters in themselves; and they begin to feel more likeable than some of the characters. Luhrmann achieves his fantastic vision while still keeping Fitzgerald’s classic themes – love, hope, dreams, the past, wealth, prosperity, the American dream – intact.

Simultaneously, Luhrmann achieves a Fitzgerald-like vision, a vision I think the author would approve of were he still alive. The “Great Gatsby” has a cultural significance to the novel that makes it an easy picture to appreciate. This movie views like a book, making it all the more enjoyable to revisit; listening to big words is often easier than reading them. The movie is as slow as the book itself, but if it were any quicker, it would feel rushed and wouldn’t leave such a lasting impression as it does. “The Great Gatsby” is a great adaptation because the viewer feels as if they were actually reading the novel. The thought-provoking feature is handled magnificently and, underneath it all, the film is just very well made, always intelligent and rarely boring.Reading the novel, there’s no way one  could imagine backdrops so lavish and magnificent as this; is quite the great achievement.

The extravagant set pieces, as well as the top-notch production and costume design of “The Great Gatsby” truly captures the essence of the 1920′s. This movie will make you fall in love with the time period all over again. Additionally, the contemporary music selection of the film surprisingly fits the amazing parties that are thrown, as well as the movie’s unique style. The contrast between the rich lifestyle of Long Island and the slum-like lifestyle of the Valley of Ashes is fascinating.

The introduction of the movie’s players is refreshing, and each star captures the significance and intrigue of each character. The cast is a great ensemble. Joel Edgerton brings some fine intensity and spot-on arrogance to the despicable Tom Buchanan. If there’s any role to make Edgerton a household name, it’s this one. Jason Clarke and Isla Fisher are the right choices to capture the poor, paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle of the 1920s, as George and Myrtle Wilson, respectively. Elizabeth Debicki rocks her big feature film debut as Jordan Baker. Carey Mulligan (who is almost always fantastic) is delicate and stunning as the irritating Daisy Buchanan, but really embraces the foolishness of the character, and she performs superbly. Tobey Maguire is adequate as Nick Carraway. He’s the character that has to keep everyone’s secrets. However, the problem is that Maguire’s range of emotions isn’t wide. There’s some obvious emotions of regret, contempt, and anxiety when he’s writing about Gatsby; and he always seems intrigued and in awe in Gatsby’s presence. Sadly, he’s a better presence when he is narrating. The pairing of Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio reminds me of the Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman pair of “The Great Gatsby.” Everyone will praise the latter, and the former will get the shorter end of the stick.

Every person who walks out of the theatre will be discussing DiCaprio’s performance. DiCaprio truly captures the essence of Gatsby, a man of hope, of mystery, and delicacy, a man who rose from ashes to be, like Jack Dawson of “Titanic,” â€œking of the world.” He is an intriguing character, and somehow it just feels right to hear DiCaprio say “old sport” so much in one movie. After watching this great man portray Gatsby, it’s hard to imagine anyone other actor in the role. He gives one hell of a performance, and he is one of the best things about the film. He draws the viewers into the picture more; and the movie truly takes flight when the essential introduction to the mystery of Gatsby comes about. It’s really a refreshing introduction to an intriguing character.

On par, it’s fair to say that Luhrmann surprisingly stays rightfully faithful to the novel. He maintains the dynamic themes, takes some potentially boring material out, and throws some fresh material in. The movie is long and it feels that way, but everything unfolds in a visually compelling way that makes classic literature feel sexy. The utilization of 3D makes the sets even cooler, and adds a whole new layer to an already complex film. “The Great Gatsby” is an enjoyable experience, and a very good adaptation of a novel hailed as one of literature’s greatest books and tragedies.