Moulin Rouge!

A musical fairy tale about paying homage to the film century. The experience is, of course, deeper if one consciously perceives all the sources of inspiration. Viewers who only suspect something will only grope on the surface. The film features everything from de Toulouse-Lautrec, Méliès, Violetta, Monroe, Madonna, and Queen. Thank you, absinthe fairy. (05/02/2009)

An absolutely breathtaking spectacle from an editing standpoint, culminating in the incredible "Roxanne" sequence, which is an audiovisual work of art in its own right. For a generally commercial musical with an average shot length of around a second, Luhrmann has my sincere respect, but I guess that's where it ends. Most of the time, the whole concept was a walk through hell – creepy characters, horrible developments, incredibly stupid humor (three penis jokes, hohoho) or horrible plots and subplots built on mistaken identity and allegories. The film exploits each of these endlessly, and even this is not enough, so that after one of the plots is over, the film turns around and repeats it again (Satine and Christian breaking up)! Then, if during the musical numbers you also feel as if you've fallen asleep under a broken jukebox after a bottle of absinthe, with the top 20 most played songs playing over and over again, I welcome you to the therapy of "Moulin Rouge tried to beat me to death." During our first class, your therapy assignment will be to throw the camera through the spinning blades of the mill. We have 30 attempts at this, so you don't have to feel bad about it. The movie sure didn't feel bad about it. (01/11/2018)

Sometimes I tell myself that it's hardly possible for there to exist such a precisely balanced border between deafening noise and indescribable beauty. A highly romantic affair, in which a tremendous amount of tension lies hidden, led by my favorite film scene of all time: The hiding of the main couple, ingeniously built up to the perfect Because she doesn't love you! moment. The pinnacle of cinematography and the most emotionally captivating affair. Thank you, Mr. Luhrmann, for the best film I have ever seen. (24/12/2004)

Tacky, overstylized, crazy and wild postmodern playfulness that you just can't resist. Moulin Rouge! won't let you catch your breath from the very beginning, you'll have to get used to the fast pace and you may find the humor insane at first, but if you stick with an open mind, there is a great chance that it will eventually completely absorb you, just like it did to me. The mix of humor, romance, and drama may come off as quite saccharine and fluctuating, but it worked for me. Moreover, what starts mainly as a comedy in the first half, turns into a truly powerful and intense drama in the second half, sealing the film's exceptionalism. The romantic story is not particularly original or revolutionary, but it is so perfectly executed that you simply forgive the various clichés and enjoy it, even if you've seen or read something similar before. I consider "Your Song" and "Elephant Love Medley" to be the musical highlights of the film. The chemistry between Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor is excellent and feels completely natural. My only major criticism would probably be that the viewer knows the outcome of the film from the beginning, and even though the ending is strong, it might have had an even stronger impact if we didn't know. Otherwise, it's a magical film that I will watch many times over. (08/10/2017)

You can expect many things from this film, but you’ll get something different. First of all, it’s worth mentioning the beautiful songs and the amazing performances; I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many likeable actors together. The opening part, playing on a very bold and fun note, blew me away, with its unique costumes, sets, choreographies, and then Nirvana's “Smeels Like Teen Spirit” kicks in – just a blast. The rest of the film is also conducted in the most original spirit and is a feast for the eyes and ears, but I didn't like the more romantic, sometimes a bit depressing part so much. It was still an enjoyable show, but the crazy beginning made a stronger impression. 80% (28/02/2012)