---
title: "The Great Gatsby: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-great-gatsby/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-great-gatsby"
critics_score: 51
critics_reviews: 24
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Great Gatsby (2013): what the critics said

Critics' score 51 from 24 reviews: 5 positive, 11 mixed, 8 negative.

The reviews lean towards disappointment, though praise repeatedly returns to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Gatsby and the lavish production and costume design. Even several detractors find DiCaprio charismatic and persuasive amid Baz Luhrmann’s excess. The parties, sets and contemporary musical choices give more sympathetic critics an energetic, entertaining adaptation, but the broad consensus is mixed: admiration for individual performances and technical craft rarely settles doubts about the storytelling.

The chief disagreement is over what the spectacle does for Fitzgerald’s novel. Vulture argues that the extravagant parties make its prodigal waste palpable; many other reviews find that the noise and movement bury its social criticism, subtlety and melancholy. Reservations also gather around distracting narration, repetition and a romance that loses momentum. The spread is wide, extending from enthusiastic approval to outright rejection. The Wrap offers a particularly stark dissent from the praise for DiCaprio, finding the performances scattered and Elizabeth Debicki the lone performer with flair.

## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 May 2013. 

McCarthy finds the adaptation extravagantly over-the-top but ultimately vibrant and faithful to the novel’s spirit. He praises Leonardo DiCaprio’s charismatic performance and the lavish production design, while criticizing Nick’s distracting narration.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/great-gatsby-film-review-451988/)

## Vulture — David Edelstein

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 May 2013. 

Edelstein finds the film flawed but ultimately worthwhile, with Fitzgerald’s novel and its themes coming through. He especially praises the extravagant party scenes for making the story’s prodigal waste feel vividly Gatsby-like.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2013/05/movie-review-the-great-gatsby.html)

## IndieWire — Anne Thompson

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 6 May 2013. 

Thompson finds the film an audacious, visually thrilling crowd-pleaser, though its story eventually sags into repetition. She especially praises the spectacularly choreographed Gatsby party, while noting the narrative’s thinness and recurring set pieces.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-luhrmanns-the-great-gatsby-wows-with-audacious-3-d-visuals-sags-dramatically-198096/)

## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 6 May 2013. 

The review presents the film as a serious, big-scale drama with a contemporary attitude. It singles out the star power and hip style, but the paywall prevents access to the critic’s fuller verdict.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/the-great-gatsby/5054613.article)

## Sight and Sound — Nick Pinkerton

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 17 May 2013. 

Pinkerton finds the film a flawed but compelling work, ultimately calling it a real movie. He especially praises Leonardo DiCaprio’s delicate, radiant performance as Gatsby.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-great-gatsby)

## The AV Club — Ben Kenigsberg

Rating C+. 9 May 2013. 

Kenigsberg finds the adaptation lively and campy, but says it loses structure, nuance, and momentum. He praises the gaudy spectacle and strong casting, while faulting the drawn-out romance and lack of interest in the novel’s subtext.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-great-gatsby-1798176752)

## Slant Magazine — Richard Scott Larson

Rating 2.5/4. 8 May 2013. 

Larson finds Luhrmann’s adaptation uneven but ultimately a party worth attending, despite its loss of Fitzgerald’s subtlety. He praises the larger-than-life performances and the soundtrack, especially Lana Del Rey’s song.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-great-gatsby/)

## Radio Times — Stella Papamichael

Rating 3/5. 

Papamichael finds Luhrmann’s adaptation a showy, polished success. She praises its lavish sets and its score, which blends Gershwin with modern music.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-1lybfm/the-great-gatsby/)

## Time Out — Dave Calhoun

Rating 3/5. 13 May 2013. 

Calhoun rates the film three out of five, indicating a mixed verdict. The visible description points to Luhrmann’s talent for spectacle, but the review text is unavailable to identify a specific point of praise or complaint.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-great-gatsby-2)

## Variety — Scott Foundas

Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 5 May 2013. Festival review. 

Foundas finds Luhrmann’s extravagant adaptation fascinating at first, but says its spectacle overwhelms the novel’s deeper meaning. He praises Catherine Martin’s production and costume design as a standout technical contribution.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/the-great-gatsby-review-1200447930/)

## Empire — Ian Nathan

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 13 January 2009. 

Nathan finds the adaptation excessive and ultimately unsatisfying, despite its dazzling spectacle. He singles out Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance as the film’s standout strength.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/great-gatsby-2-review/)

## The New York Times — A.O. Scott

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 9 May 2013. 

Scott’s verdict is negative, finding Luhrmann’s adaptation excessive and confused rather than emotionally persuasive. He singles out its lavish visual spectacle, which cannot make up for the film’s lack of depth.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/10/movies/the-great-gatsby-interpreted-by-baz-luhrmann.html)

## Evening Standard

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 29 May 2013. Festival review. 

The critic finds the adaptation overblown and incoherent, with its spectacle overwhelming the delicacy of the novel. DiCaprio is singled out as the film’s strongest performer, while Carey Mulligan’s Daisy is criticized as unconvincing.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-great-gatsby-cannes-film-festival-film-review-8616667.html)

## Film Comment — Violet Lucca

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 

The critic finds the adaptation unsuccessful. She faults it for missing the punch and point of Fitzgerald’s classic.

[Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/review-the-great-gatsby-baz-luhrmann/)

## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 8 May 2013. 

Turan finds Luhrmann’s adaptation overwhelmed by its frantic style, leaving little room for the story’s dramatic interest. He praises Leonardo DiCaprio’s charismatic performance as Gatsby as the film’s main success.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-great-gatsby-review-20130509-story.html)

## The Guardian — Philip French

Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 19 May 2013. 

French judges Luhrmann’s adaptation a misconceived, noisy film that tramples on Fitzgerald’s subtleties. He praises the Plaza hotel confrontation for its tension and depth.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/may/19/great-gatsby-review-philip-french)

## The New Yorker — Richard Brody

Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 9 May 2013. 

Brody finds Luhrmann’s adaptation reductive and ultimately devoid of ideas. He faults its spectacle for lacking seduction and its performances for missing the characters’ complexity.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/the-great-gatsby-try-again-old-sport)

## Den of Geek — David Crow

Rating 4.5 out of 5. 10 May 2013. 

Crow finds the film an intoxicating, uniquely energetic Baz Luhrmann experience, though its glossy approach loses some of the novel’s moral complexity. He particularly praises the film’s vivid setting and Leonardo DiCaprio’s captivating performance as Gatsby.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-great-gatsby-review/)

## Paste — Jeremy Mathews

Rating 6.4. 10 May 2013. 

Mathews finds the adaptation stylish and entertaining, but says its distractions keep it from capturing the novel’s deeper melancholy. He praises Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance and the film’s lively social satire, while criticizing its voiceover framing and distracting 3D.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-great-gatsby/the-great-gatsby)

## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 May 2013. 

Wilkinson finds Luhrmann generally in control, though he occasionally pushes the style too far. She praises the performances, especially DiCaprio, Maguire, and Mulligan, while finding Edgerton’s Tom unsuccessful.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-great-gatsby-2013-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)

## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff

Rating C+. 6 May 2013. 

The review finds the film’s lavish style excessive and emotionally hollow, despite its ambitious adaptation. It praises the spectacle and occasional strong performances, but says the visual and musical overkill overwhelms the story.

[Read the review](https://staging2.theplaylist.net/review-the-great-gatsby-is-a-decadently-empty-tale-of-empty-decadence-impossible-love-20130506/)

## The Skinny — Becky Bartlett

Rating ★★★. 15 May 2013. 

Bartlett finds the film flamboyant and romantic, though overlong and increasingly less effective in 3D. She praises DiCaprio’s layered performance and the controlled spectacle that preserves the central romance.

[Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/the-great-gatsby)

## Collider — Matt Goldberg

Rating C-. 9 May 2013. 

Goldberg gives Luhrmann’s adaptation a negative verdict, arguing that it turns Fitzgerald’s critique into a shallow doomed romance. He praises the dazzling costumes and production design, but says the spectacle overwhelms the story and its emotions.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/the-great-gatsby-review/)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 5 May 2013. 

The critic pans the film as dull, arguing that Luhrmann’s spectacle overwhelms the story and drains it of life. They single out the scattered performances and Elizabeth Debicki as the lone cast member with flair.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/great-gatsby-review-how-many-flappers-make-flop-89511/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-great-gatsby.md