The Roaring Twenties

We interrupt this travel log to bring you a movie review.

I was able to have a girls' night this evening. Three of us went and saw "The Great Gatsby" in the theater.

I LOVED it. It was gorgeous.

Now, I should include a disclaimer here. I love Baz Lurhman movies. A lot. I probably shouldn't confess to that since they're not all movies that I can in good conscience recommend (cough*Moulin Rouge*cough). But I love his directorial style. I love the color, the spectacle, the comedic timing, the casting, the framing. I'm a fan.

I read a review that said Baz Lurhman got in the way of this story. His hand was too obvious. I disagree. Yes, it was definitely a Baz Lurhman film (and two people did walk out during a scene set in a speakeasy), but it was much less heavy handed than I expected. There were moments that it felt almost subtle. Much of the music is modern, but it carries an underlying 1920's beat. I was surprised, but it worked. And Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby? Fantastic, and I'm not so much a fan of his work (except for Romeo + Juliet), so that's saying something.

I also love the book The Great Gatsby. It makes me a little nervous going into a movie adaptation of a book I love. It doesn't always end well. This was delightful.

I won't write anything else lest I give something away (but if you attended high school, then you've probably read it, and if you haven't read it you should) but I will say that this was a beautiful, heart-breaking movie.