To hear the critics tell it, Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" is the disappointment of the year. There's not enough jazz, they say. There was no 3-D in the 1920s! It's two movies that don't fit together! Has Jay-Z even read the book?! If you're a fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald's book, take a deep breath. It's not as bad as they make it seem.
I have my own opinions on former film versions, and I think they all fail for the same reason: Fitzgerald's language has already done all the cinematic work for the actors, directors, set designers and producers. Baz Luhrmann's new movie may well supersede the earlier film Gatsbys, but can it supersede the novel?