The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic 1925 American novel, set in the sizzling, sexy bacchanal of Jazz Age New York, is tackled here by Australian auteur Baz Luhrmann, who emphasizes style over substance. Narrated by wannabe writer Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), who serves as ambivalent observer and moral compass, the story revolves around the ever-hopeful attempts by Carraway's mysterious, party-throwing, Long Island neighbor—self-made millionaire Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio)—to convince his first love, Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan), to leave her philandering, polo-playing husband, Tom (Joel Edgerton), in order to marry him. Also on hand are Daisy's socialite friend, pro-golfer Jordan Baker (Elizabeth Debicki), and a Jewish “gambler” named Meyer Wolfsheim (Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan). On a deeper level, this adaptation tries to explore the issues of inherited wealth, income inequality, social mobility, and the tenacious pursuit of the American Dream, but it's far more concerned with being glamorous and visually opulent—serving up an exquisitely gaudy spectacle (with lavish Art Deco style sets and haute couture costumes) that is musically punctuated by Jay-Z's contemporary, hip-hop-fueled soundtrack. DiCaprio embodies the naively idealistic, obsessively romantic cipher known as Gatsby, while Mulligan's frivolously fickle, golden girl flapper is sensual and seductive. A notoriously difficult book to adapt—note the 1974 production starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow—this version is also sure to split audiences down the middle. Recommended, overall. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the production featurettes “Gatsby Revealed” (30 min.), “The Jazz Age” (16 min.), and “Razzle Dazzle: The Fashion of the ‘20s” (16 min.), deleted scenes with an alternate ending (14 min.), “The Swinging Gatsby” on music (12 min.), “The Greatness of Gatsby” with director Baz Luhrmann (9 min.), “Within and Without” behind-the-scenes segments with costar Tobey Maguire (9 min.), a “Fitzgerald's Visual Poetry” segment (7 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for this blockbuster adaptation of Fitzgerald's classic.] (S. Granger)