The Great Gatsby - Nostalgia and Innovation

As this is supposed to be partially an arts blog, I thought it time to try writing my first film review (I must remember to give a star rating). I have no idea how to proceed, so I'll just have to do my best. The film I wish to review is none other than the latest production of "The Great Gatsby"(TGG), starring Leonardo DiCaprio. There have, of course, been previous films based upon this enduring novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald - this film makes a total of five. The one most valued by film buffs is the 1974 film which starred Robert Redford as Gatsby, and, for some purists, is the definitive edition.
I disagree with that, of course, and will make my case later. Before this, though, I think it worth examining the historical context of the book. It is set in New York State in 1922. For those unfamiliar with the story, the action revolves around the romantic yearning for a past lover by a rich man who conceals the source of his wealth (he's a bootlegger). There are spectacular party scenes which typify most people's view of the period - the so-called "Jazz Age", of which Fitzgerald was a key figure, along with his disturbed wife, Zelda. Lest we disapprove of, or ridicule this, we should remember (and most reviewers don't) that the early 20's were lived in the shadow of World War One, which had a devastating effect on so many young lives. Gatsby himself has returned from Western Front service as an impoverished officer. Scott Fitzgerald also served with the US forces at this time. Understandably, those who could afford it, the famous "bright young things" of the period, wanted, to paraphrase Prince, to forget the war and party like it was 1929. Well, as we know, the party ended in 1929 with the Great Depression. Fitzgerald's career and marriage went into a decline, and some commentators see TGG as reflecting Fitzgerald's longing to return to the happy times of the early 1920s. Gatsby insists, in the book and the film, that it is possible to recreate the past. His attempts to bring this about lead to his downfall, which proves, perhaps, that Fitzgerald was not as naïve as might be believed.
But I digress. Di Caprio's portrayal of Gatsby is a harder and edgier portrayal than Robert Redford's urbane Gatsby. This, I think, makes the character more believable. I could never see Redford's polite bon viveur making a fortune as a bootlegger. Readers of the book will know that, in TGG, there is no physical description of Gatsby, but Di Caprio is highly convincing and, for me, is THE Gatsby.
Purists (I hate that word - it makes me think of odourless soap) have raised loud objections to the musical score, which has numerous contemporary sounds by modern artists, such as Jay Z, Fergie, Beyoncé, Will.I.Am and the Bryan Ferry Orchestra. I personally see nothing wrong in this. The early 1920s and our present times have much in common. Both periods see masses of people having a good time without being happy, and both periods have a soundtrack of meaningless popular songs which, as Billy Bragg has said (of today) are about nothing more than getting drunk. The gangsters of the 1920s (like Gatsby) ran speakeasies and made a fortune. Al Capone and other US mobsters became media stars. Today, gangsters (aka "gangstas") have a whole genre of music dedicated to them - a celebrity presence common to both eras.
As for performances, the two best, in my opinion, are of the Buchanans, who are the prime movers of the action. Daisy Buchanan is played very well by Carey Mulligan, and the obnoxious Tom Buchanan is shown in his full odiousness by the distinguished actor, Joel Edgerton. Daisy, the object of Gatsby's yearning, is seen as a frivolous spoilt brat. It is a common theory that the basis for Daisy was Zelda Fitzgerald - if then, we see Gatsby as an avatar for Fitzgerald, Carey Mulligan leaves you wondering what he saw in Daisy or Zelda. Tom Buchanan, who contrives Gatsby's death, is seen as the malevolent creep that Fitzgerald intended him to be - well done, Mr Edgerton.
For those who plan to see the film, I make one suggestion - read the book. It is not very long and somehow (at least for me) has the power to be unforgettable. I first read it back in the 1960s (another Jazz Age?) and have never forgotten it. The book, and THIS film version, admirably complement each other.
For me, this film merits four stars out of five, but I can imagine that it will not be to everyone's taste.