With its
originally slated December 2012 release, The
Great Gatsby was the perfect star-studded romantic drama to charm audiences
during the critical-darling-heavy winter release schedule, but with a delay to
Summer 2013, several obstacles arose for this newest look at the Roaring
Twenties. Most moviegoers had read F.
Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 classic novel at some point during high school, and both
DiCaprio and Maguire were perfect casting choices for the leads, but would that
be enough to draw ticket sales away from other blockbusters? To their credit, Warner Bros.’ marketing department
went above and beyond to paint Gatsby
as a high-profile and stylish cinematic event, complete with glamorous
promotional partnerships and one of the single best film trailers in recent
memory. As the release date drew closer
and closer, television spots focusing almost exclusively on the contemporary
soundtrack felt a little desperate, but I do have to admit that positioning the
film for the female demographic as a Mother’s Day gift was a stroke of genius. I may have foregone 3D, but I wanted to see The Great Gatsby in the fanciest way
possible; so sitting in the leather recliner of a luxury theater with a “West
Egg” cocktail in-hand, I was primed for a wonderfully inventive adaptation of
historic American Literature.
Wildly
immersive and saturated with a grace and flair that perfectly updates and
energizes the spirit of the original novel, The
Great Gatsby boasts remarkable acting and storytelling that results in a
thoroughly entertaining film. DiCaprio
is flawless in his portrayal of the title character, boasting a charisma that
matches with Maguire’s earnest humility to make for a perfect chemistry that
reflects the pair’s longstanding off-screen friendship. And with the stylish direction and upbeat
soundtrack, the party sequences are almost hypnotic, more than enough to have a
few moviegoers dancing in their seats. And
yet, some of the metaphors and symbolism of the original novel are lost in the
transition to the big screen, so deeper enjoyment of the film may evade those
who didn’t love the book. Still, putting
all of it together, The Great Gatsby
more than holds its own as an effective and entertaining drama for the 2013
Summer Movie Season.
Overall
Recommendation: High
