About – Set in the 1920’s, Nick (Tobey Maguire) a writer neighbours a millionaire Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). As Jay has a flashy lifestyle compared to Nick, these two form an unlikely friendship due to Jay’s past with Nicks cousin, Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan).

The Great Gatsby has such a huge cast, it has some very established names as previously mentioned, just to name a few. With a cast like this, you are expecting something special. As you might know, Leo and Tobey are good friends off-screen. They knew each other at acting school as teenagers. As the years have gone on, they have both stayed in touch and supported each other through their career. Seeing these two form a brilliant on-screen relationship creates a more believable performance, enhanced by their off-screen friendship.

The score is an unlikely mixture of modern-pop artists trying to captivate 1920’s music. However, The Great Gatsby didn’t need that extra work load with modern artists. However, it should have taken the more traditional route and stuck with 1920’s jazz and swing. This type of score would have made the film more realistic compared to hearing Florence Wench from Florence & The Machine or hearing Jay-Z’s voice within the party scenes. By hearing these types of vocals takes us away from the atmosphere that the film presents to us.

The vocabulary and phrases that The Great Gatsby has is breath-taking. We can tell straight away when we are presented with Nick. With the use of phrases and English language we can tell we are going to be in for a treat. There is no holding back on the use of words that the majority of the audience won’t understand or have heard of before due to the English language changing. However, by having the so called 1920’s English-American language, this brings us into the era more than using language that we are familiar with today. This is a clear indication that The Great Gatsby has a well written script and a very strong narrative.

On paper The Great Gatsby has a very strong narrative, from a lost relationship that find each other again. The love story is stunningly put together which lets the character’s blossom, enhanced by the well thought out and elegant gowns. The costume design presented to us in the film is spectacular and represents that era very well. By having a very strong narrative and a huge cast you are expecting everything to work smoothly. Unfortunately, The Great Gatsby starts off well and raises more than expectations but then finishes off with a heartbreak and bleak ending.

The Great Gatsby isn’t the best film in the world and it sure isn’t the best film Leo has appeared in. However, it will put a smile on your face and make you tap your feet by the modern twist of the 1920s music. For many, it won’t be the film for you. For the few it’s a fun and vibrant film that will make you want to be part of the 1920s fantasy.