This week's movie is Moulin Rouge! starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. It's from 2001 and I'm sure everyone's seen it already, which is probably a good thing since I'm not sure how to review this movie.
___Warning: Spoiler Alert___
There will be spoilers, so if you haven't seen the movie and plan to, stop here.
The basic storyline is that a penniless poet, Christian (McGregor), goes to France, meets up with a group of performers and becomes their playwright. They go to the Moulin Rouge to encourage Satine (Kidman) to star in their play. Satine is a cabaret performer and a courtesan. Because of a mix-up, she believes that Christian is the duke she's supposed to have an assignation with. They fall in love. The duke is wildly jealous. They pretend it's part of a play which the duke bankrolls. He's still wildly jealous. Etc.
TBH, I'm not sure what to think of this movie or how to review it. I was mulling over what to say here from the time the disk ended. When the film started, my first thought was what the hell is this? By the time I reached the end, I'd decided I liked it and that it had charm and wit. It's not something I'd like to see again, but it was an entertaining show.
Normally, I try to give thoughtful reasons about what did and didn't work for me, but I can't really do that this time. I did like the way the music was used and that modern music was in a movie set in 1900.
I thought the duke's obsession with Satine was overblown and that her death was conveniently timed, but I'm not sure any of this mattered. I think the plot was merely there to hang the songs on and that it was kind of beside the point. And I believe this is why I have trouble coming up with a cogent review.
I'm rating this on the Netflix scale on which 3=Liked it and 4=Really liked it.
3.5 stars
