F. Scott Fitzgerald’s great American novel — easily the best American novel, by my estimation — leaves such a lasting impression because it captures the underlying essence of the American myth. We are a country and a people driven by a desire, an urge to re-invent ourselves, no matter what the costs. Australian stylistic maestro Baz Luhrmann (Romeo + Juliet) has more than a bit of that American Gatsby streak in him; he is in love with beautiful surfaces that have been freshly scrubbed and repainted in garish colors to mask or distract us from what lies beneath. And with Leonardo DiCaprio as the ringleader of this great adaptation, expect this take on The Great Gatsby to flash and dazzle to a beat that is all its own (with a little help from a modern-day Gatsby — Jay-Z). Now in theaters. (PG-13) Not screened in time for review
This article appears in May 8-14, 2013.
