Book vs. Movie: The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby movie has been highly anticipated and I was excited to see the movie for several reasons. I'm a big fan of the novel and I also adore Leonardo DiCaprio - so I expected this to be a winning combination. Luckily for me I really enjoyed the film and think every reader of The Great Gatsby should check it out.

Even though I really liked the movie, I think it depends on how much you like the book too. My sister loves the novel and it's one of her favorites, so she was annoyed at the minor changes made during the adaptation. On the other hand, I liked the book but I didn't mind the changes at all. I think the one change was a great way to explain how Nick Carroway is narrating the story, since movies don't really lend themselves to lengthy voiceovers.

I will admit that the beginning of the movie is hard to get into. If you're not used to the style of director Baz Luhrmann, you will be very confused. He also directed Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge and this version of The Great Gatsby has a similar feel and atmosphere as those two films. There is a lot of green screen/CGI in the beginning and one of the first scenes is filmed with a lot of different cameras and quick takes. If the whole movie was like that I probably would have hated the adaptation. Luckily that style is only found in the beginning and the rest of the movie is filmed a little more normally.

All the important elements of the novel are found in the book, including the green light, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg and the themes of opulence, wealth and the loss of the American dream. Leonardo DiCaprio did a fantastic job as Gatsby and I really hope he finally wins an Oscar for this role! I thought the other actors did well too, but Leo steals every scene he's in.

Overall, the essence of the novel is captured in the film adaptation and I think it's a really good movie by itself. I can't compare it to the previous adaptations since I haven't seen them, but it has to be one of the better ones. If you're a fan of the book don't miss out on this movie!