“The Great Gatsby” follows Fitzgerald-like, would-be writer Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz and bootleg kings. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan) and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton). It is thus that Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, within and without the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles.
Oh, Baz Luhrmann. You’re so wacky, with your non-period music and your swooping camera movement, and it all looks so opulent and fun. The high school drama student in me love this kinda thing, but I dunno…ol’Baz seems to live in a cinematic world all his own – one where period accuracy and being original are things that only uncool people do. It’s hard to judge a man who plays by his own rules. Anyway, I think The Great Gatsby, like anything Luhrmann does, will be a whole lot of fun, but stands a small chance of being all flash but no bang.
The Great Gatsby comes out December 25, 2012. It’s going to be in 3D, which might actually be cool.