The Great Gatsby

So my editor and I went down for this review/ press screening of Baz Luhrmann's new big budget take on the famous American classic about 1920's decadence in New York. Toby Maguire is the narrater of the story. He is originally a university graduate and a want to be writer who then wants to hit it big in the finance industry which is at the time booming. Now as Maguire (Nick) tries to get his own piece of the American dream he rents a small home surrounded by mansions. Unexpectedly we find that Jay Gatsby (Caprio) lives next door. Now Jay throws awesome parties with the majority of New York it seems attending on a nightly bases. If I did that here in Highgate I would be given an ASBO as a noisy neighbour I guarantee it.

The production of this film is extravagant and on a much higher level than Moulan Rouge which is no surprise Luhrmann directed both, although the girls ware shorter skirts and are way more amorous if you know what I mean. Its like watching Sodam and Gamora all under one roof.
Along with the tight dresses, Booz and swimming pools there amazing music a lot of which is from Jay Z which gives a good mix of old school partying with modern day beats (You will definitely want to buy the album of the movie, I know I already have.)

There is a question on everyone's lips who is Gatsby? Is he a spy, a prince, a war hero an alcohol boot legger? No one knows well not until the film has gone through some highs and lows and taken you along for the ride.

So here's a bit more about the story- well it turns out that Gatsby used to be in the military and met Daisy who is in fact Nicks cousin. Wow I can here you scream what are the odds!!!
So Gatsby befriends Nick and asks him to set him up with his cousin who is already married to another guy who is über rich, a Polo star and lives across the bay from Gatsby (no that is not a coincidence). Each night Gatsby looks across the bay at the women he loves and longs for a time when they will be together. So yes this is really a love story rather than a true to the original book take on the 1920's. It does portray the era well however and the love story gives you something to care about. At the end of the film the audience in the cinema which was full of film critics, by the way started to clap because De Caprio and the rest of the cast are flawless in their roles and the result is a film that is a modern classic. I mean it's going to be remembered like Titanic or even some of the old classics like The Ten Commandments. Of course no one is going to ever be better than Charlton Heston but De Caprio and the team come close and at the end of the film, when you are desperate for a toilet break, you feel happy for watching and the fact your bladder is about to explode.
The movie certainly for me made me want to be a better man and appreciate the dangers of allowing excess to make you forget about yourself and others. Personally I think it's brilliant and it's gonna be bought on Blue Ray.

I wonder what it will make you feel ?........