Completed: The Great Gatsby

The recent(ish) film, not the book, not the other film.

so... i think baz luhrman's films can be fun.
a little goofy
but almost always something redeemable.
hell i seem to be the only person who enjoyed his version of romeo and juliet.
i thought it was an interesting interpretation and did some neat things to keep the story modern yet still with some class.
and any time i'm feeling blue i pop in Moulin Rouge! and belt my heart out to every song.
So part of me looked forward to this film... i knew the reviews were saying it wasn't terribly good but i try to not make an opinion till i have witnessed the thing in question (it doesn't always happen... i can't help personal biases but i try)

and now i have seen it and can talk about it... kinda.

quick disclaimer: i have not read the book, it was in my school curriculum but my English teacher pushed for her classes to read John Grisham books instead... well at least i learned then that i can't stand his novels... and that his films are better then his book cause they cut out all the bullshit.

SO... as someone who has not read the book and who does enjoy Baz' brand of film making... what did i think?

Meh...

it could have been worse i guess?
but it could have been better
and short
like... an hour or so shorter.
and not so derivative... you can see hints of his other and better films all throughout... it doesn't help that it's told in the same way as moulin rouge just by the nature of how the story is told.
also i felt distracted by the music... i get what he's going for and it works quite well but i still didn't like it and it took me out of the experience.

but it was well acted... though it's hard to see Tobey Maguire as anything other then his character in pleasantville when he does period films

but i think where i went from being this is mediocre but still kinda charming to okay this guy needs to be locked up is somewhere close to the start... and that probably soured the rest of the film for me.
again... he's supposed to be that way... i get that...
but just cause something was intended to be a certain way doesn't mean i have to like it.
and if i don't like the characters i probably wont care for the story.
and the characters all creep me out.
every single one of them.

is the film good?
...
i don't begrudge the time i gave it... but i don't plan on watching it again... so i can't call it good.
maybe if you really love the book and want to see it on a screen with lots of spectacle you'll enjoy it?
but other then that you'll probably find this film a complete slog and i'd find it hard to disagree.
but yeah... not terrible... just kinda... Meh.