The camera zooms in across the open bay where a mysterious green light flashes slowly. The scene shifts to a hospital where the narrator, Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire). He spoke in a way that reminded me of how Carraway acted in the book The Great Gatsby, and I was filled with joy.
I instantly immersed myself into the mystery of who is Gatsby? Why is he here? What is it about him that makes him “great”?
When Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) is revealed after a few scenes, an elaborate plot is launched that culminates in a story of love and loss.
The Great Gatsby takes place in the 1920s in New York City. The parties are bigger, and Wall Street is flourishing. There are three distinct, fictional places where people live: East Egg, where the rich people from old money come from. West Egg, where the rich people from new money come from. Then there is the Valley of Ashes, where the poor live.
The movie focuses mostly on the rich, so everyone but the people who live in the Valley of Ashes wear expensive suits. No one wears the same thing twice, giving viewers the feeling that everyone in New York has money to throw away.
The Great Gatsby puts a lot of effort in showing how “great” Gatsby is with opulent and elaborate sets. Despite being new to town, he is one of the wealthiest people there, throwing parties in his mansion for hundreds of guests.
Live entertainment, endless fountains of champagne, a pool, a beach, and fireworks have the people of New York making him the center of attention, although no one can really figure out who he is. Is he the third cousin of the King of Germany? A spy? A killer?
The acting is impeccable. DiCaprio encompasses the attitude of Gatsby and Maguire plays the role of the innocent bystander, sucked into the role of the narrator of Gatsby’s life. Each character played their roles just as I had imagined. I felt like I was reading the book all over again.
The music, lights, and parties will take movie-goers of this generation back to a time long forgotten.
I recommend it to everyone before starting off their summer of great movies. I enjoyed it, and I know you will, too.
