Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

Search cinema listings

Browse cinemas A-Z

Search 20,000 reviews

 

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Director: Baz Luhrmann

Average user rating
No reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Another post-modern mix of myth, musical, comedy, romance and unfettered pastiche from the impressively inventive Luhrmann, here ransacking pop culture's iconographic archives - rather than the real Paris of 1900 - to mount a hyperkinetic update of the Orpheus myth. Naive, lovelorn writer/composer Christian (McGregor) is taken up by bohemians like Toulouse-Lautrec to put on a show at the scandalous showplace of the title, where courtesan/torch singer Satine (Kidman) will do anything - even sleep with a dodgy Duke - to further her acting career, especially if pressed by the club proprietor (Broadbent) - until, that is, she meets Christian, and her heart melts. A Red Shoes-style fable of love and art in conflict with commerce and power, it's luridly stunning to look at even if it's cut a little too quickly and insistently for its own good. It's also jam-packed with allusions and gags, and performed with enormous gusto. If it lacks the emotional punch of Luhrmann's earlier films, and drags towards the end, it is still great fun.

Author: GA

Time Out Film Guide


  • Print this page
  • Send to a friend

What do you think?
Post your review now

clear rating
Min 1 star. Zero stars will be treated as unrated.

*mandatory fields





Top Stories

The Coens' 'Burn after Reading': review

The Coens' 'Burn after Reading': review

Pitt and Clooney star in the Coen brothers' latest, 'Burn After Reading', which opened the 2008 Venice film festival

John C Reilly on ‘Step Brothers’

John C Reilly on ‘Step Brothers’

Method man turned slapstick comic John C Reilly talks to Time Out about his new film ‘Step Brothers’

Guy Ritchie on ‘RocknRolla’

Guy Ritchie on ‘RocknRolla’

Wally Hammond talks to Guy Ritchie about his latest film, ‘RocknRolla’ which sees him safely back in his old manor among the familiar carnival of villains, scams and high-octane spills and thrills

Saul Dibb on ‘The Duchess’

Saul Dibb on ‘The Duchess’

Dave Calhoun discovers from director Saul Dibb that his latest, 'The Duchess’ is far from your typical aristos-in-love movie

Opinion: Can George Lucas still make ‘small’ movies?

Opinion: Can George Lucas still make ‘small’ movies?

With the release of animated spin-off 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars', Tom Huddleston wonders whether George Lucas will ever return to his roots.