Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Moulin Rouge has many things to like about it, but comes off as inconsistent at times. All of the actors were top notch. I believe it was Nicole Kidman's best performance of her career. Ewan McGregor usually doesn't add a lot of depth to his characters, but in this movie it was ample. Jim Broadbent was charismatic and Richard Roxburgh was a very convincing pervert, right down to his posture. I liked how well they developed each of these characters. The rest of the actors were also excellent, but the story didn't lend much depth to their character, and they simply came off as a backdrop or environment for the main four, often becoming a writers convenience or becoming a set of eyes we could see through from the outside looking in. There were so many parts I enjoyed about this movie, more particularly the segments where Kidman and McGregor's relationship was explored. This made for a great second act of the movie. The first and third act I felt suffered from Baz Luhrmann's rapid, almost epileptic, editing style. His style is not not for everyone, but particularly in this movie, it didn't allow for much depth of the movie in the first and third act and came off as flashy and showy. This created pacing issues that I felt if he had slowed down and focused more on the characters instead of fitting as many shots into the move that he could, the story would have flowed a lot better. The other major inconsistency of the movie was the theme it was building towards, and the theme it ultimately landed on. Throughout the entire movie, they are building a theme of faith in love no matter what the outcome, but the last minute and a half of the movie turns it into a tragedy that I felt was unwarranted and unearned. This would have been a palpable ending if the movie showed the characters doubting that maybe love wasn't enough, and then a tragedy strikes that proves the point. But instead we have the ending segment that shows us that all this guy's belief in love was absolutely for not, and that we are left to assume he must have been faking his belief the entire time, because it sure didn't seem like enough for him. This isn't about always getting a happy ending, it's about not getting an ending that was a cheap and quick way to evoke a particular emotion in the audience without really building into. It felt rushed, and again, unearned. (And I'm not talking about the actual event, but more about how the event affected the character.) Otherwise, I really wanted to enjoy this movie more than I did. An excellent second act with outstanding performances and likable characters, but with the pacing issues and inconsistencies in building a movie that naturally flowed from one idea to the next keeps me from rating it higher. All in all, though, a fairly enjoyable and rewatch able film nonetheless.

I could go on why I enjoyed this film - heck, I reviewed this 3 times on Letterbox! But the one simple word I can best describe Moulin Rouge, is poignant. This film give a poignant feeling whenever I get the chance to see this it. The glits, the glamour, the music & the story. This is the perfect love story. Ewan McGreggor and Nicole Kidman were terrific. I recommend this film as a Valentine's treat!

"Christian" (Ewan McGregor) is a struggling writer living a stone's throw from the legendary Moulin Rouge in Paris. He cuts quite a solitary figure until he is befriended by "Toulouse-Lautrec" (the scene stealing John Leguizamo) and introduced to the hedonism of the club run by "Zidler" (Jim Broadbent) that features it's superstar turn "Satine" (Nicole Kidman). He is besotted, he must meet her in her blue elephant apartment and love must follow, surely? Well, maybe, but "Zidler" has other plans on behalf of the seedy "Duke" (Richard Roxburgh) who has determined to make her his. "Christian" now finds himself inspired, and sets about writing his "Spectacular Spectacular" piece of musical theatre that thinly disguises the burgeoning romance between the pair whilst hopefully throwing the "Duke" off the scent. These things are expensive, though, so the venal "Zidler" ends up having to do a deal with the devil to pay the bill - and that leaves everyone exposed to the lasciviousness of the amorous aristocrat. We also learn that, not unusual for the late 19th century, "Satine" isn't so well and so time might not be much of an ally for them, either. Can they thwart the lecherous "Duke" and save their love? Though I didn't really love McGregor's rather flat singing so much, the rest of this is an highly entertaining romp through a tawdry Parisian society riddled with sexiness, vibrancy and just a little hint of evil. Broadbent is in his element as the master of ceremonies who'd have looked just as impressive hosting a circus - and indeed it's a circus that his boozed up and horny guests want every night as the original sex-club comes alive with colour, dancing and champagne. The soundtrack works really well using just about everyone from Rufus Wainwright to Elton John via Broadway and T-Rex - even Kylie manages a tinker-bell of a cameo. The film looks great, with huge attention to the detail of the look; the costumes and the set - with the perilously poised pachyderm overhead. There's heaps of chemistry between McGregor and a very natural looking Kidman and two hours just flies by. It's one of those films that positively wallows on the big screen and each time I see it, I seem to get just a little bit more from the humour and the pathos in the writing. Original, quirky, zany and good fun.