Moulin Rouge! (2001) Dir: Baz Luhrmann
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Baz Luhrmann is known for his very stylised and flamboyant films, with larger than life characters and all sorts of vibrance and colour. This is perhaps his most famous film, and certainly his most highly rated. And yet, I had never seen it until now.
The mix of both contemporary and classic music was creative, and done surprisingly well, even if it made little sense from a believability perspective. Speaking of which, I enjoyed the musical numbers quite a lot, for the most part. I think my favourites were the slower, more romantic numbers.
I am not the biggest fan of Lurhmann's cinematography style, but it certainly suited the fast-paced and ebullient story that was taking place. This, combined with some wonderful costume and set design, made for some excellently lively and vivid sequences, especially during the aforementioned musical numbers.
The narrative had a classic, Shakespearean feel to it, which I enjoyed greatly. Sure, it did feel a little cliché, and elements of the story were slightly too outlandish, but I think the romance and tragedy of it all came through strongly. There was one aspect of the story I didn't like so much, but it wasn't a huge issue.
Nicole Kidman was incredibly entertaining and exuberant in her starring role. I loved how dramatic she was - it suited the film's over-the-top vibe so perfectly. That said, when it came time to be more serious and tragic, she absolutely nailed that too.
I was less keen on Ewan McGregor's performance, though not because he was bad. I liked his singing, that much was a present surprise for me. I wasn't such a fan of his acting outside of those musical numbers. It just didn't quite click for me.
The supporting cast were all marvellous, in my view. Richard Roxburgh and Jim Broadbent were the clear standouts for me, while John Leguizamo, Garry McDonald, Jacek Koman and Deobia Oparei provide more enjoyable displays as well. There was also a brief but highly enjoyable appearance from Kylie Minogue.
Overall, I can definitely see why this is such a beloved musical. Despite having a few issues here and there, I enjoyed watching it quite a bit. It isn't my favourite Baz Luhrmann film though, that remains his adaptation of 'Romeo & Juliet'. Even so, this is most assuredly a must-see for fans of musicals.
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