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Moulin Rouge (2001)
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Genre: |
Musical/Drama |
Director: |
Baz Luhrmann
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Rating: |
PG-13 |
Running Time: |
126 Minutes |
Release Date: |
June 2, 2001 |
Official Website: |
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Movie Trailer: |
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Discuss and vote: |
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Cast: |
Nicole Kidman
Ewan McGregor
John Leguizamo
Jim Broadbent
Richard Roxburgh
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Pickup Line: Pick-up Line: Pretty, Pretty Picture!
Quickie: The starlet of "Moulin Rouge," a famous French nightclub, has a secret affair with a "penniless writer" but has to fake affection for a Duke so the latter would finance making the nightclub into a real theatre. The best way to describe it is "Indecent Proposal" combined with the special effects of "The Cell" and the musical antics of "Grease."
The Long Review:
Watch "Moulin Rouge" and you'll see something you've never laid eyes on before. It's a spectacular musical production boasting of awesome costumes, incredible set design, amazing choreography, impressive vocal stylings, and delightful acting. It has it all: comedy, drama, intrigue, tragedy, romance, passion, sex, corsettes...um, yeah. Anyway, "Moulin Rouge" tells the enthralling tale of Christian (Ewan McGregor), a penniless writer who associates himself with bohemians who are in the process of making a play to be performed at the Moulin Rouge, in his quest to write about "truth, beauty, freedom, and love." While watching a particularly seductive number at the nightclub, his idealistic eyes fall on Satine (Nicole Kidman), the star of Moulin Rouge, and the boy is g-o-n-e. Through a happy accident, he gets to meet Satine, and before you know it, they are gaga over each other, singing to each other while dancing on clouds. Alas, another man is after Satine's underpants...er...heart: the Duke (Richard Roxburgh. And Satine has to fake affection for the Duke so that he would finance the conversion of the Moulin Rouge into a real theatre. And Christian has to accept this, for the future of every person at Moulin Rouge is at stake, especially Satine's. We told you it was just like "Indecent Proposal"...except this movie is actually worth watching.
And who knew Nicole Kidman could sing? She's no Julie Andrews but she
sure isn't a squawking crow, either. And that Ewan McGregor, does he ever have a set of pipes! Sure, he opens his mouth so wide when he sings, you can see down his throat but man! He gave us goosebumps! Actually, the whole movie gave us goosebumps! It was just so damn entertaining! We were treated to a visual and musical wonderland, as well as a great story. And is the soundtrack ever kick-ass! If you're not a lover of '70s and '80s music, you will be after watching this masterpiece. It's going to be the most fun you've had in a theatre in ages. Trust us. Your mouth will drop at the oh-so intricate details put into every second of the film and your heart and stomach will ache from all the emotions you'll be forced to explore. You may find that some parts drag a bit but you'll forgive that, just because the rest of the movie is so good.
We think that Roger Ebert is a little confused in his opinion of the movie, though: "The movie is all color and music, sound and motion, kinetic energy, broad strokes, operatic excess. While it might be most convenient to see it from the beginning, it hardly makes any difference; walk in at any moment and you'll quickly know who is good and bad, who is in love and why--and then all the rest is song, dance, spectacular production numbers, protestations of love, exhalations of regret, vows of revenge and grand destructive gestures. It's like being trapped on an elevator with the circus." He says a lot of good things about it then deadpans it with an insult...or is it an insult, really? Maybe ol' Ebert has fantasies of being trapped in an elevator with the circus?! Hmmm...maybe that' why he gave the movie such a good rating?!
In Two Minutes:
Did you know?
- Baz Luhrmann, the director of this movie, also directed "Stricly Ballroom" and "Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet." Is this guy something or what?
- Nicole Kidman fractured her ribs while filming a dance routine for "Moulin Rouge," which halted production for a good two weeks. 'Wonder if it was from dancing or from wearing those suffocating corsettes?
- Speaking of corsettes, Victoria's Secret is selling these torture chambers like hotcakes, thanks to Nicole Kidman's costuming in "Moulin Rouge." We expect female deaths from suffocation to increase by 45938%.
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