The Great Gatsby

jvc said:

I heard Lady Gaga was doing music for this film. Is this true? Or just another crazy dream?

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I think on the soundtrack. Jay-Z is doing the score, however.

Has anyone seen it yet?

I finally went Saturday night and was surprised that I really enjoyed it! I think it helps that my brother saw it first and hated it. He warned me about the parts he couldn't stand, so I was prepared I guess. He also detested the modern music--but I have to say I thought it was modern in the right places.

Leonardo DiCaprio was absolutely perfect as Gatsby. This reminded me of what an excellent actor he is. I completely believed he was madly in love with Daisy. I didn't quite buy Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway--I think he was a bit miscast. The rest of the cast was great, but Leo stole the show.

Of course little details were missing here and there, but overall I thought it portrayed the book well. Despite what I'd heard to the contrary, I thought the movie did a good job with the underlying themes--it focused the right amount on the parties and glimmer, and balanced it with the dirt and darkness. It was melancholy and sad and left me with the same feeling the book left me with.

Alpha Echo said:

Well, I will definitely read the book before the movie comes out. Downloading it for my Kindle now...and have a few hours sitting in the salon getting my hair done tomorrow...about the only time I read from my Kindle.

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I do this too and I have an appointment here in 2 hours. Maybe I'll follow your cue here. Ahh, the foils, the lovely foils....

Stiger05 said:

Has anyone seen it yet?

I finally went Saturday night and was surprised that I really enjoyed it! I think it helps that my brother saw it first and hated it. He warned me about the parts he couldn't stand, so I was prepared I guess. He also detested the modern music--but I have to say I thought it was modern in the right places.

Leonardo DiCaprio was absolutely perfect as Gatsby. This reminded me of what an excellent actor he is. I completely believed he was madly in love with Daisy. I didn't quite buy Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway--I think he was a bit miscast. The rest of the cast was great, but Leo stole the show.

Of course little details were missing here and there, but overall I thought it portrayed the book well. Despite what I'd heard to the contrary, I thought the movie did a good job with the underlying themes--it focused the right amount on the parties and glimmer, and balanced it with the dirt and darkness. It was melancholy and sad and left me with the same feeling the book left me with.

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I agree with everything you said here. Tobey Maguire is a good enough actor but I don't think he had the right look or voice to pull off a great Nick Carraway. Leo was very good. Very good.

The atmosphere was a nice balance between glitter and jazz and mania, and the dark violence that simmers beneath. It was genuinely scary in parts.

Overall, I think the film nailed it.

All your comments really make me want to see it. I had heard it was quite disappointing, but your comments about Leonardo are enough to convince me I would enjoy it. He really shines in certain roles. I thought THE AVIATOR was one, and so was THE DEPARTED. It sounds like this is another good one for him.

Didn't like the book, but so excited for the film. Love Leo and Luhrmann and the trailer looks awesome. Unfortunately we don't get it until the 31st of May and will probably take me a few days after that because it's the weekend of my sister's deb

My high schooler had to see this for an assignment in her drama class, so I took her last night. I never would have gone to the movie theater to see this otherwise -- I had read an unfavorable review in a major newspaper, I haven't read the book, I actually don't like the sort of excess Baz Lurhmann is known for, and I've never crushed on Leo DiCaprio (though I think he is an amazing actor).

I came away absolutely impressed. There were a couple of things I didn't like - such as the rap music in such a period piece where, otherwise, care was taken for authentic scenery and costumes; and I got close to eye rolling in a couple of the over-the-top party scenes (that's Baz for ya). But seriously, it was a beautifully shot movie with excellent acting all around, and a nice juxtaposition of these large group scenes of excess, with intimate character study. I admit I was riveted throughout. DiCaprio was (as usual) wonderful in the role - utterly convincing. A couple of the scenes were horrifyingly well done, and the scene where Tom and Gatsby come to a head was fascinatingly and convincingly portrayed, building to a climax of a cringe-worthy and soul-crushing change of the "upper hand". That was probably my favorite scene, though the most painful to watch. I'm going to come right out and say I loved this movie. We saw it in 3D, and that brought a sort of intimacy to it - the viewer really feels as though he/she is in the scene with the actors. (Though I can't recommend seeing the trailer for World War Z in 3D **squirm**)

And now I can't wait to read the book.

This, from junkee.com is a lovely insider piece by Brendan Maclean - the actor who played the role of Klipspringer.

The movie was good if you hadn't, but amazing if you had read the book beforehand.

Loved the visuals, the scenery, especially the combination of today's modern music and the 1920s.

Tobey wasn't the best choice for Nick in my opinion, but DiCaprio was amazing.
Gatsby's Mansion was the best thing in the movie for me