Moulin Rouge
Set in the Paris of 1899, Moulin Rouge is a visually spectacular and unconventional musical about a young writer, played by Ewan McGregor, who falls in love with Nicole Kidman's Satine, a courtesan. Also starring John Leguizamo and Jim Broadbent. Directed by Baz Luhrmann.
Leah Rozen
People
'While easy to admire for its audacious vision and lush visuals, this feverishly busy, wake-'em-and-shake-'em attempt to revive the movie musical keeps tripping over its own aggressive flashiness. Its score is loaded down with lightweight pop tunes ... And its choreography is more an illusion of choreography than the real thing, because the film is so frantically edited that dancers barely strike a pose before the image changes. Moulin Rouge offers endless eye candy, but no nourishment. Talented Kidman and McGregor give their all here, but director and co-writer Baz Luhrmann (William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet) keeps getting in their way.'
Kenneth Turan