THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Love can kill us or save us. You don't think so? Watch Moulin Rouge!
PLOT
The film takes place in 1900 Paris and follows a writer named Christian, who shares a drastic turn of events that happened to him a year earlier. When he first arrived, he joined the Bohemian movement led by a dwarf named Henri de Toulouse-Lautric. After he helps him complete a play called ‘Spectacular Spectacular’, they go to the titular cabaret to impress the star courtesan Satine. If it works, she’ll in turn convince her proprietor Harold Zidler to hire Christian to write a show. However, Harold has arranged her to sleep with a powerful Duke, in exchange of financing to convert the club into a theater. Satine does meet Christian and she does mistake him to be the Duke, until he admits he’s just a writer. When the actual Duke appears, they claim to practice a play and are backed up by Harold and Toulouse’s troupe. Together, they pitch the play to be about a courtesan falling for a sitar player as a maharaja fails to woo her. For the moment, the Duke agrees to back the show if Satin and the Moulin Rouge are turned over to him. Afterwards, Christian confesses to Satine that he has fallen for her. Although she doesn’t admit immediately that she feels the same, she only does after he wears her down and kisses her. This begins with them having a relationship in secret as the play is in production. As the Duke grows jealous of the time they spend together, Harold tells Satine that she must end her relationship with Christian and have dinner with their backer, to ensure the play still gets funded. She misses it due to falling unconscious before she could arrive. Harold discovers from a doctor that she has a fatal case of consumption (tuberculosis). At the final rehearsal, the Duke admits to disliking the play’s ending, whereas the courtesan chooses the sitar player instead of the maharaja. Satine does suggest spending the night with him in order to come to a decision with the ending. When she realizes she can’t go through with it, he tries to rape her but is rescued by one of the cabaret dancers Le Chocolat (DeObia Oparei). When she returns to Christian, they intend to run away. Harold tells her not to leave because the Duke wants to kill him and confesses to her illness, which he kept secret from. She does comply, which breaks Christian’s heart. On the night of the play, he tries to sneak into the Moulin Rouge, but is denied entry. As Toulouse and the cast intervene with Duke’s henchman Warner (Linal Haft) from killing him, he is able to get on stage and sing with Satine to proclaim their love. The audiences applauds, but Satine collapses backstage. In her last breath, she tells Christian to write a story so that she’ll always be with him. By the story’s present, the Duke had already left Moulin Rouge in despair and Christian ends his story, which ends the film as he declares that his love for Satine will live forever.
THOUGHTS
As I begun respecting musicals during the 2010s, I was watching as much as I could and when I stumbled upon this in 2018, I found myself overall satisfied. Director Baz Luhrmann was able to share a story that is tragic, yet dazzling throughout. Every shot you go through, bright or dark, was nothing but vibrant. The reason that this film gets to me is because it provides the most valuable lessons while maintaining itself to be an energetic experience, which you will feel from a colorful cast that sing spectacularly. Ewan McGregor is fantastic as Christian because his ideals make him the most sincere. Throughout, he shows us that following our heart will be worth it because you'll only have limited chances to pursue it. 'Your Song' may be a cover, but he sings it beautifully that you believe it's his own. Although he fell in despair for a year, his creative mind kept him going long enough to write the story that'll make his love immortal. Earning her first Oscar nomination, Nicole Kidman easily becomes a national treasure as Satin. From the second you see her sing 'Sparkling Diamonds', you'll easily fall for her like Christian. She makes her a memorable character because she is someone who tries to be self guarded by controlling her passion. She has goals and she does what she does to reach them. She gave Christian a chance because she admired his passion on wanting to be happy. And he fell for because he aside from being in awe of her beauty, he saw how alone she was and desired to make her happy, along with respecting her will to do what she doesn't like to strive. While I do enjoy 'Elephant Love Medley', it is 'Come What May' that is the best song because it accurately how pure their love became. It is sad when she dies, but it is also uplifting that in her last breath, she encourages her love to not give up on his dream because she knew how talented he was and wouldn't bare to know he'd hit rock bottom. While both leads help maintain the film to be investing with impeccable chemistry, the supporting players also keep the pace going in between. What I loved the most about John Leguizamo's Toulouse and Jim Broadbent's Harold is that both were both were friends that believed what was best for those they cared for. Leguizamo showed Toulouse as an ecstatic figure who wanted Christian to be happy in Paris. On the other hand, Broadbent made Harold as outgoing and bold as possible, who helped Satine to keep the pace going while she could. His decisions were harsh, but all were meant with best intentions. Last but not least, Richard Roxburgh was so good as the Duke, you'll love hating him. This is a guy that failed to understand that love is priceless and has to be earned. Seeing him desperately trying to have Satine comes to show Jealousy is just a bitter substance that only made him vile. Seeing him have the last laugh by leaving Moulin Rouge in despair was a last laugh moment that twists my stomach every time because of how it was bound to happen, also proving how far jealousy can corrupt people. Despite generally enjoying this film, it doesn’t excuse the issues that bothered me when re watching. First off, it blows my mind how Christian and the Duke are sat next to each other for Toulouse to pull off arranging his friend to meet Satine. What would he do if the Duke changed seats at the last minute! That’d be hilarious to see. And why is the Duke the only option to get funded? There were so many guys waving cash at her and he’s the only one that can afford her? If he really won a silent auction, then show that so that I’m clear why it has to be him. And am I the only confused of how Satine picked a red dress and then quickly swapped to a black night gown? I liked the latter, but I still don’t see the point. Also, why the hell would she and Christian make out where the play is being rehearsed? I get that they’re crazy for each other, but get a private room at least if you don’t want to get caught. It is pretty tragic that she dies of tuberculosis, but is Christian infected? It’s supposed to be contagious for people under close contact, so how come we don’t see Christian have symptoms in 1900 which is a year apart from Satine’s death. I don’t want him to die, but it’s odd how he doesn’t feel ill compared to the one he lost. And why was there no understudies for the play? We already know Satine had tuberculosis, but the Argentinian had naroclepsy. I thought the Duke could afford the funding, so it’s odd that he ain’t prepared for the worst. Lastly, I am beyond confused that one prostitute actually implies the relationship of both leads to the Duke, only to prevent Warner from killing Christian. That is the most un-earning moment I’ve ever seen in a musical. If you ignore these issues, I’m sure that you’ll have a good time like I did. In short, Moulin Rouge! is a worthy Best Picture nominee for being a musical that is an atmospheric tribute to romanticism. If you believe in love, see this movie.
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