Rebecca from The Punk Theory is here today to offer her review of The Great Gatsby. Please be sure to follow her site, and read on for her thoughts.
The Great Gatsby – Reviewed by Rebecca
Recently I came across a very positive review of the new Great Gatsby movie on Random Film Musings. I wasn’t too fond of the book when I read it about a year ago (you can check out the review for that right here). But sometimes bad books can be turned into good movies. With all the praise of the critics and the more than excited review I read I decided to give the film a chance.
However, the movie didn’t blow me away. The vivid colors that were spoken of in the review gave me more of a negative feeling. Everything was just too bright, too colorful. For most of the film I felt drowned by the opulence of the colors. Furthermore, to me it seemed like the actors sort of got lost in the set. The decadence of it all filled up so much of the movie no performance could live up to that. For me simply the whole setting was over the top.
Another aspect that received a lot of praise in randomfilmmusings’ review is the soundtrack. Baz Luhrmann used music by Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Florence and the Machine. You wonder how such music can fit in the world of the 1920’s? The answer is it doesn’t. Unlike with many of his other movies Luhrmann couldn’t incorporate the songs in the film in way that they give you the right feeling. Most of the songs just didn’t connect with the scenes. Only very few of them blended in perfectly.
Anyways, one point on which I completely agree with the review is Carey Mulligan’s splendid embodiment of Daisy. She plays the roles with a lightness that shows Daisy’s emptiness marvelously. A fragile touch is added to Daisy and you feel like she’d crumble to pieces any second.
Leonardo DiCaprio also did a great job portraying Gatsby. But what I didn’t like about this characters was the extremely fast pace he’s putting on. It feels like you spend half of the movie running of the Gatsby to keep up with him. To me this is not interesting or fascinating. For me it was simply tedious.
Summing up I can say that it is obvious how many money was spent on this movie. But the amazing actors get lost in the decadence and opulence of the film. There are too many pretty pictures with artificial colors that try to be the best part of the movie. Somehow the performance of the actors isn’t the most important thing, it’s rather to show off big buildings and large parties.
I wasn’t too fond of the film and for me it’s definitely not a recommendation.
6/10
Head In A Vice 
Tyson Carter
/ August 27, 2014Thanks again for joining in Rebecca!! I still haven’t seen this one, might not be my kind of movie but I do love me some Leo. 🙂
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thepunktheory
/ August 28, 2014thank you for giving me the chance to participate =)
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Garry Armstrong
/ September 1, 2014I’m a Fitzgerald fan and LIKED the book. I haven’t seen this latest Hollywood try at filming Gatsby except for a few scenes. No one has captured Gatsby on film after 4 or 5 attempts. I actually participated in the Redford version and was doubly disappointed. I LIKE the review of this latest effort.
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Marilyn Armstrong
/ August 27, 2014This is pretty much what we had also heard, so you are confirming what we thought. We haven’t seen it and probably won’t bother. I’m beginning to believe Gatsby isn’t a book that can be turned into a good movie. Lord knows they’ve tried often enough and failed every time. Maybe after 5 attempts, it’s time to move on to some other book. Thanks for a well done review.
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CMrok93
/ August 27, 2014Good review Rebecca. It had a neat style that allowed it to really work whenever it was paying attention to the glitz and the glamour of these lives. But when it had to get dark and dramatic, it felt too campy and over-the-top to really even register as a “drama”.
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Tom
/ August 27, 2014The Great Gatsby, a bad book? Really?
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Mr Rumsey
/ August 28, 2014That’s what I thought too! It might just be my all time favourite book!
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thepunktheory
/ August 28, 2014I just can’t bond with the book. Just not the one for me =)
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Nostra
/ August 28, 2014I too wasn’t too impressed with the movie and also felt that the music didn’t fit what I was seeing. So I share your opinion.
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Rincewind
/ August 28, 2014Saw it and yeah not to bothered about it. A big maeeh after seeing it. Was expecting more.
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Three Rows Back
/ August 28, 2014It’s a funny one this. A terrible first 30 minutes rescued somewhat towards the latter half but still ultimately a failure. Top marks Tyson!
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Tyson Carter
/ August 28, 2014Rebecca reviewed it 😉
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Abbi
/ August 28, 2014I loved this film but then I’m an unabashed Luhrman fangirl. I love the way he mashes genres and areas.
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table9mutant
/ August 30, 2014Nice review. : ) Agree with you on this one – I was a bit disappointed. The music didn’t fit at all & Carey Mulligan’s character was sooooo DULL! I did like Leo, though. And I liked the story. I have the book but not yet read it – may give it a try.
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Kristin
/ September 2, 2014Interesting take, Rebecca. I knew other people who felt similarly to you. I, for one, have heard primarily great things about the book, so I imagine you might be in the minority about your view on the book (although nothing’s wrong with that at all!). To me, the bright colors are what made the film, and I felt like they worked well with the type of characters. The characters were written to be extreme and over-the-top, and I felt like the cast delivered on it, specifically the two you pointed out – Carey Mulligan as Daisy and Leo DiCaprio as Gatsby.
As for the soundtrack, I can definitely see where you’re coming from. I did love Lana Del Rey’s tracks, but I didn’t care much for anything else on the soundtrack.
Thanks for the review! I enjoy reading another person’s perspective.
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