Most of us who have heard of "The Great Gatsby," especially us book lovers, will think of the classic novel from 1925 by F. Scott Fitzgerald. With the release of the recent film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, I feel that we will be visualizing this stunning movie from now on when we hear this title.
Based in the roaring 20's in New York, the story follows Nick Carraway (Maguire), a Yale graduate who has moved to New York from the Midwest to work on Wall Street as a bonds salesman, as he recounts his life as the neighbor, and later confidant, of the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby (DiCaprio). Leonardo DiCaprio's performance is spot on, playing a mysterious and gentlemanly portrait of Gatsby that would most likely please Fitzgerald's imaginings of this character. Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway also does not disappoint as he plays the often passive character with his natural acting ability.
Now, I don't want to give too much away since this is a very recent film that is still in theaters, but I will say that this movie is worth all the hype. With elements such as a complex love triangle, lavish parties, mystery, and a roller coaster ride of emotional and fun moments, how can you go wrong? All of these elements are executed flawlessly. During this 144 minute film, I did not once feel like I had been in the movie theater over 2 hours. It was THAT good.
So, if you were thinking of seeing the 2013 rendition of "The Great Gatsby," then by all means do it. It is a film that will not disappoint most viewers, though more avid readers of Fitzgerald's novel may cringe at the odd mix of hip hop and 20's jazz that plays throughout the movie. All-in-all, it's worth the price of a movie ticket, in this humble blogger's opinion.
