Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Laura’s Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Plot: Christian, a young man from England, joins a group of writers and performers in Paris working on a musical to be performed at the cabaret club known as the Moulin Rouge. Christian falls in love with the lead performer and courtesan of the club, Satine, but she has been promised to a wealthy Duke by the club’s owner.
Opinion: The movie starts out pretty fast and the pace is consistent throughout the film. Set in Paris in the year 1900, the film’s setting is used loosely to amplify the “bohemian” movement rather than as a historically accurate anchor. I liked the quirky, whimsical feel of the movie, although I don’t think it would suit everyone’s taste. The movie certainly borders on being over-the-top, with animation-style transitions, skewed depth cinematography, and personalities that feel a bit like caricatures. I think the film’s consistent commitment to its outrageous style of storytelling is what makes it work.
Moulin Rouge! is a jukebox musical, meaning it uses popular music rather than original songs. I liked that many of the musical numbers were mashup style compilations of multiple songs put together (including many contemporary tracks that don’t necessarily fit the setting). Leading stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor both can sing surprisingly well and they felt natural in their roles. Kidman’s porcelain beauty worked perfectly for her character and her chemistry with McGregor was believable.
Moulin Rouge! combines avant garde art, lavish sets, and flamboyant costuming to create a larger-than-life background for the music and the painfully tragic romance of the film. I’d recommend it to fans of modern musicals and anyone that can appreciate an off-the-wall movie concept.
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