The Great Gatsby
2013 · Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Original language: English
- drama
- romance
The story
Nick Carraway arrives in New York in 1922, an era of loose morals, glittering jazz and bootleg kings. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick encounters the mysterious millionaire Gatsby and his bewitching cousin Daisy. Soon, Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super-rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. Bearing witness to this new world, Nick pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and unforgettable tragedy -- mirroring our own times and struggles.
What it’s like
Gilded and hyperkinetic, with saturated golds, emerald greens and champagne-pale whites, shot in dizzying 3D with swooping crane moves, slow-motion party flourishes and bursts of confetti that feel like a fever dream. Its surfaces are glossy and digital, overlaid with 1920s typography and a pulsing modern soundtrack of hip-hop and jazz remixes that makes the Jazz Age feel newly loud. The vibe is opulent, restless and melancholic, best suited to a night in with the lights down, a stylish comfort rewatch, or when you want spectacle that wears its heart on its sleeve. Pacing is brisk and rhythmic, with long party sequences giving way to quieter, sadder interludes. Nick's narration frames a lonely man drawn into a glittering world, and Gatsby's obsessive hope slowly curdles into tragedy. Intensity is moderate: some brief violence and a car crash, and sexual content and infidelity handled with suggestion rather than explicitness. For people who love maximalist period style, big emotional swings and a modern reinvention of a classic.
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