Rating: 
Summary: Great Gatsby
Review: In the movie "The Great Gatsby" which I'm doing a review for my teacher Mr. M I
thought there were some parts that were true to the book and some parts that were
different. For instance the story line stayed pretty much true to the book. The story being,
about a man named Nick Carraway played by Paul Rudd who moves from the Midwest to
New York. There he is introduced to his second cousin Daisy (Mira Sorvino) and her
husband Tome (Martin Donovan) where he has dinner with them and meets his soon t be
girl friend Jordan Baker (Francie Swift). Then he meets his next door neighbor Jay Gatsby
(Toby Stephens) at one of the wild parties of Gatsby's that Nick is invited to. Nick
discovers that Gatsby is in love with Daisy and intends to win her heart by impressing her
with his money and success, even though she and Tom are well off by "old" money they
both had before. Throughout the movie Gatsby gets Daisy to like him but is rudely
interrupted by Tom who catches on and unmasks Gatsby as a man getting his money from
fake bonds which makes Daisy go back to Tom. Nick is dragged along in helping Gatsby
get to Daisy. Also in the end after Daisy has rejected Gatsby, Daisy driving home ran over
a woman (Myrtle) who happened to be Tome's mistress. Gatsby was in the car with Daisy
when it happened. When Tom finds out he is horrified and lets Myrtle's crazed husband
know where Gatsby lived because it is assumed that Gatsby killed her. In doing so,
Myrtle's husband kills Gatsby and then himself. The ending of the movie and book is when
Nick having witnessed the dead body of Myrtle goes back home to the mid-west.
The only big differences between movie and book were two scenes. One was
missing, and that was when Nick called Jordan to say goodbye and that in a way he always
would love her. Which was a pretty important part of the book because he finds out that
she's engaged to another man. The second big difference I thought, was Myrtle's
apartment party with Tom, Nick, Myrtle's sister, and her sister's husband. This scene
which was in a small apartment in the book with those people at the party was different
then in the movie. The movie make it look like it was a huge apartment with lots more
people in it. I also thought Nick played by Paul Rudd was true to character. Also, I
thought Daisy did well with her part, her voice could have been more exciting though.
Finally, I think the scenes and sets were close to what I envisioned then to be. So that is
what I thought about the movie "The Great Gatsby."
Rating: 
Summary: Gatsby Movie Review
Review: The movie version of the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald at first glance seems a poor representation of the great novel. It stays very accurate to the book and also portrays the characters from the book quite well. It is the story of Nick Carraway during his stay on Long Island. It tries to portray the social and economic stratification's of both the Eggs, East and West, and the general feelings of the time. It does this well but the story does not start well and has a phony feel throughout. Although Mr. M. disagrees with me I feel that Mira Sorvino's performance in the role of Daisy was a shining performance. This was not upheld by the man playing Gatsby who gave his performance a []forced quality. His performance was sub-par compared to those of Paul Rudd and Mira Sorvino. The performances of these actors did well to uphold the themes, plot and symbolism of the original. The same social criticism represented in The Great Gatsby was shown throughout the film. The setting did not look as my imagination viewed it. I believed that Gatsby's house was smaller but just as garish, I also thought that Nick's house was bigger and that the Buchanan's house was visible from Gatsby's house. Overall the setting did not live up to my imagination of it. It was not vivid enough. The production of the movie was fabulous in comparison to the rather haphazard construction of the rest of the film. The sets were perfect although the setting itself was inadequate. The sound and soundtrack were perfectly aligned with the tone of the scenes and made you feel the tone of the conversation. This soundtrack created an ambient tone that enhanced the quality of the film as a whole. On another production note, the costumes aswell as the period cars and downtown New York. These scenes severely enhanced the experience of the film. This combined with the performances of Paul Rudd and Mira Sorvino made what otherwise would have been an unbearably boring and flat film into a film that actually engaged the senses. The overall experience of the film was enjoyable. It would have been better if it had been better set and the performances of the quality actors within the film could have been supported better. The support acting in this film was terrible and terribly cast. If the supporting roles had been better cast and the setting better done the film would have changed from two stars to maybe four. This film was enjoyable to watch but for those that seriously enjoyed the cynicism of the book should know that it does not carry over to the film version.
Rating: 
Summary: HEY MR. M
Review: The Great Gatsby For those of you who have not read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald I will provide a brief summary. The narrator, Nick Carraway, has come east to New York to try out his hand in the bond business. Nick rents a bungalow on West Egg, next door to Jay Gatsby. Gatsby is extraordinarily wealthy and in love with Nick's cousin, Daisy. However, when Gatsby went to World War I five years before the setting of the movie Daisy married a man named Tom Buchanan. The story evolves into a fight between Tom and Gatsby over Daisy, but you'll have to watch the movie to find out the result. Or better yet, you could read the book. While I'm not saying The Great Gatsby is a good book, far from it, I am saying that it is a step above the movie. The movie version begins with the end of the book, while this may be appropriate for Hollywood, I have always found that these beginnings make me wonder why I'm watching the movie if I already know the ending. Also some important events are left out, mainly Daisy's reaction to Gatsby's wealth, and Gatsby's flashbacks have been altered for no apparent reason. Many small things, such as the color of Gatsby's car, are changed although this does not take away from the story. Indeed, for an A&E movie The Great Gatsby was quite good. Costumes and settings were fitting and the casting was adequate. I thought that Nick (Paul Rudd) and Daisy (Mira Sorvino) were well cast and did an excellent job for their parts. Gatsby (Toby Stephens) did an outstanding job acting his part, however I don't think he fit the role Gatsby. He couldn't quite pull off Gatsby's favorite line of "old sport," and his smile didn't convey the meaning it did in the book. I found Tom did not appear to be the great football player he was supposed to be. He was not sturdily built and in fact seemed very old considering he is supposed to be the same age as Nick. Also, George Wilson was not the old, defeated-by-life man Fitzgerald portrayed him to be. In contrast he was young and energetic. If you're going to watch one movie watch Gladiator, if you're going to read one book make it Once a Runner. But if you've been forced to read The Great Gatsby in class it's interesting to see the movie version, and I'd recommend you do so. As far as books-to-movies and A&E productions go The Great Gatsby was surprisingly good. Despite being 'Hollywood-izied' from a bad book the movie rose above its material. *Mad props to Mr. M. for our private viewing of the movie* -The Seanster
Rating:
Summary: This is for you Mr. M!
Review: I think both characters did a fine job of portaying who they were supposed to be based on the book. However, I did not feel as in-tune with the characters as I did when reading the book. It seemed as though all the depth in the characters was left out in an effort to get their lines recited. Although Daisy does a good job of portraying the ditzy girl who just wants to be supported by a money-making man, I did not feel emotionally connected with her at all. Gatsby's characteristics did shine through his character, but the acting job was not well done at all. Toby Stephens looked a little out of place and uncomfortable with that character.
In following the general plot, the movie was fairly accurate, but when it came down to detail, I think the movie left out a lot. But, the picture was well done and the accuracy of plot, cotumes, sound, etc. was good. I enjoyed the movie although it was not the best depiction of the book!
Rating:
Summary: It's better then the first.
Review: Considering the first attempt at the movie "The Great Gatsby" was a flop I had some skeptical feelings going into the movie. But I really liked it in the end. In the movie Gatsby, Toby Stephens, is an entrepreneur who is also chasing the girl that he lost so many years ago, Daisy, Mira Sorvino. All of a sudden an old friend of Daisy moves in Nick, Paul Rudd. Who just so happens to live right next to Gatsby. Coincidence? I think not. Thus the story begins with all the right chemistry to have someone die. And someone does in the end. Gatsby of course because how else could this story end someone had to loose.
The performances were good although Mira Sorvino just didn't do it for me as the ditsy Daisy. Paul Rudd on the other hand did an excellent job as Nick. Music was great the story had a good flow and was easy and enjoyable to watch. I would watch it again. Hope this does it for you or at least Mr.M
Rating:
Summary: Its a Sad Day for (A&E)...
Review: Judging this movie was difficult, and having read the book in Mr.CM's class made it even more hard. To come clean, I have to say the characters were portrayed in a very *unpleasing* manner. Toby Stephen played a ridiculous Gatsby that made me almost want to quit watching. His "old sport" routine did only get older and repetive, amd his smirky smile made him seem so fake. He expressed emotions towards Daisey, but not in a very convincing way. To me, as others, I could feel no sympathy for him because he couldn't convince me that he really loved Daisey. Speaking of Daisey, she dissapointed me as well. She didn't come off to me as a snobby and self-centered person as I would like to imagine. As for Nick, Paul Rudd did a great job acting as the narrator and the main character, so I could easily feel sympathy for him. As for the rest of the movie, it seemed to have had a low budget and couldn't express the true *wealth* of the movie as much as I would have liked it to. All in all, this movie would be worth watching nothing more as a time waster, and it would only make you confused with all the plot holes. Reading the book is a much better idea and would help all understand what The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald is really trying to get at.
Rating:
Summary: THE GREAT GATSBY MOVIE REVIEW
Review: *In this book a man named Nick moves to the East coast and his neighbor is a very intelligent man named Jay Gatsby. Gatsby doesn't tell anyone but he has got his money from bootlegging and fake bonds. Throughout this book Gatsby is madly in love with Daisy who was a woman that he met before he went to the war and when he got back she was married. He has been searching for her ever since and is now trying to win her back. Gatsby throws large parties every weekend and hopes that Daisy will show up at one of them. Nick finally sets them up to meet and they both are once again reunited but cannot be together because of Tom. Gatsby and Tom have many disputes through the book. The woman that Tom is having an affair with Myrtle is killed by Gatsby's car as he and Daisy were driving back from New York. Tom is upset with this and tells Myrtles husband that is was Gatsby so as Gatsby lay in his pool thinking of Daisy and the life he might be able to carry on without her he is shot dead. The funeral that Nick arranges consists of only three people: Nick, Gatsby's father, and a man from Gatsby's parties. With nothing left in the East for Nick he moves back to the Midwest.
*I feel that the performance of Nick "Paul Rudd" was played extremely well. I think captured the attitude and the personality of Nick very well. The other actor that I think did a really great job in the movie is Gatsby "Toby Stephens". Toby did a wonderful good with the way Gatsby acted. Especially the "Old sport" that was classic. So I think that these two actors did a good job being their characters.
*The movie was actually surprisingly accurate to the book. Everything that happened in the book I saw happen in the movie. There was one part in the book that was not in the movie and that was the first car crash which Owl Eyes involved in. Another part that was in the movie and not the book was the talk that Tom and Wilson had over and over about the sale of the car. Other then those two incidents I don't really see anything really different from the book and the movie.
*The qualities of the scenes were really good and so were the camera angles. The costumes I feel really captured the time period that the movie took place in. The soundtrack to me was the best. The music was very suspenseful and in some parts it was eerie which really caught my attention to see what was making the mode of the music to change to this.
... Well thank you Mr. M for giving us this wonderful assignment.
Rating:
Summary: Great remake of the classic book
Review: The movie, strangely enough, starts out with the end. It begins with Gatsby floating in the pool at the end of the summer. The movie then goes back to the beginning of the story when Nick moves into the house next to Gatsby. Nick visits his cousin, Daisy, and her husband, Tom, across the bay in East Egg. There he meets Jordan Baker, a professional golfer who he takes quite a liking to. Nick later goes to one of many parties thrown weekly at Gatsby's house. There he meets Gatsby and becomes very interested in him. Gatsby has devoted the last five years to chasing Daisy and now he has the perfect way to meet her since her cousin lives right next door to him. He meets her again and they have a great time together until right near the end of the movie.
For the most part, the movie stayed very accurate to the book. Having just read the book in Mr. M's English class, I could remember some of the dialogue and recognized it as being the same as the book. The main themes were portrayed very well in the movie and it did a good job of keeping the characters as they were in the book. Nick was very well played by Paul Rudd. He played the role very well and depicted Nick just the way I imagined him. For the most part Toby Stephens did a very good job on Gatsby. The one drawback was his rather choppy delivery of Gatsby's trademark saying, "old sport." The production was very smoothly done and truly gave the impression of the 1920's lifestyle. The costumes seemed very authentic to the time period and the people. Camera angles and the speed of the scenes went very well. The sound track was great. Often times I was paying more attention to the background music than what was happening in the movie. The movie was very good and pretty interesting but the music was also great and often grabbed my attention. A good movie to watch whether you have or haven't read the book.
Rating:
Summary: Rent Something Else
Review: The latest Hollywood installment of Fitzgerald's masterpiece 'The Great Gatsby' deserves split praise as far as the book/movie relationship goes. While stellar performances were given by Sorvino as the troubled Daisy and Rudd as the inquisitive Nick, I don't feel the third member of the film's driving trifecta, (Stephens as the title role) did the part of Gatsby justice. Visually, Stephens fit the part with the smirk and everything, but his full portrayal came off as if he were an over-confident rich kid at some highschool.
Not to say that what he went for didn't work, he just never found the ability to summon up Gatsby, and put Gatsby on screen. I don't think that Rudd played Gatsby with enough refinement. Now, having read the book, this kind of distracts me throughout the film, so I'm sure that those of you that haven't read 'the Great Gatsby' would probably like the film more than I did. In the end I thought the rest of the charachters were well-cast and I give the movie bonus points for costumes and setting.
Rating: 
Summary: Add 10 points Mr. M!!
Review: "The Great Gatsby" is a classic tale of a man named Nick Carraway and how he meets the wealthy yet mysterious Jay Gatsby. The movie follows Nick's life as he is reunited with his distant cousin Daisy and is introduced to a variety of characters such Jordan Baker and Tom Buchanan (Daisy's husband). Back in the day Gatsby was "seeing" Daisy but soon had to go to fight in the war; so Daisy went off and married Tom; they moved to East Egg and had their only child Pammy. The movie shows their lives five years later when Gatsby and Daisy meet once again and things just go downhill from there.
Playing Nick is Paul Rudd; many know him as Josh from the movie "Clueless." If there was one person in the entertainment industry who could put on such an incredible reenactment of Nick it would be Paul. After reading the book, you get a vision on Nick in your head, and after seeing Rudd play the part, the image thought of is portrayed identically. He truly is the ideal person to play the part of Nick Carraway.
Daisy-witty, humorous, and a tad unhappy with her life, was played by Mira Sorvino; another perfect casting call. Her ability to portray Daisy was magnificent and she wins the heart of those in the audience. Sorvino does a fantastic job of recreating Daisy, an important character to the plot.
Overall Robert Markowitz did a great job keeping his screenplay relatively accurate to the novel. He kept many key quotes and phrases the same which had a strong impact on the movie itself. Added however, were a few extra scenes that weren't in the book, for example Daisy and Gatsby's long conversation in Nick's house which helped the viewer further understand the extremity of their past relationship. As well, more humor was added for an extra effect.
The costumes worn by the actors seemed to fit each individual character exactly. Old fashioned dresses and suits clothed the characters of the movie, all relevant to the time period and perfect for the film. Camera angles and everything that production was in charge of was done to help enhance the remaking of the classic tale. Rating this movie on a scale of one to ten, it would definitely be a ten due to the director's brilliant way of bring one of the most well-known books to life.
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