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    The Boring Twenties

    The Great Gatsby movie turns classic novel into butt-numbing slog

    Alex Bentley
    May 10, 2013 | 6:00 am
    The Great Gatsby movie turns classic novel into butt-numbing slog
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    Baz Luhrmann is a director whose imagination has made his reputation. The flights of fancy in his first three films — Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet and especially Moulin Rouge! — announced him as an audacious filmmaker who could make films that were over-the-top yet relatable.

     

    That creativity was all but absent from 2008’s Australia, but Luhrmann had enough in the credibility bank to ensure his adaptation of The Great Gatsby would be highly anticipated. His take on how struggling stockbroker/writer Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) finds himself swept up into the life of the mysterious and ultra-wealthy Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) was sure to breathe cinematic life into the Roaring Twenties.

     

    The result, however, is unimaginably dull. Luhrmann takes one of the great novels of all time and turns it into a butt-numbing slog that seems to go wrong at every turn. In his hands, Carraway and Gatsby’s dealings with Gatsby’s long-lost love Daisy (Carey Mulligan), her husband Tom (Joel Edgerton) and various hangers-on are uninteresting right from the start. And they never improve.

     
     

       After more than two-and-a-half hours, the culmination of The Great Gatsby comes more as a relief than anything else.

     
     

    Even Gatsby's legendary house parties lack energy. Carraway describes them as an inhibition-free zone where anything goes, but Luhrmann's staging of the scenes never makes the audience a part of the revelry. Instead, we're merely flies on the wall, jealous of the fun that everybody else seems to be having.

     

    When adapting a novel, you can either feel emboldened by the challenge or imprisoned by it, and Luhrmann must have been afflicted by the latter. Instead of creating a living, breathing work of art, Luhrmann bows down to the novel at every turn. In doing so, he makes the story feel every bit as dated as it is, never making it his own.

     

    Even the insertion of potentially genius elements ends up misfiring, including his use of 3D. Luhrmann appears more interested in the technical wizardry of 3D than in just letting it enhance the storytelling. He employs zooms and swoops liberally, trying to wow the audience with camera trickery rather than selling us on the merits — or lack thereof — of the film’s various relationships.

     

    It's unclear what to make of the much-hyped inclusion of Jay-Z, Beyonce and other modern artists and songs on the soundtrack. The songs aren’t used enough to integrate them fully into the fabric of the film, and when they do crop up, they just seem apropos of nothing. The soundtrack may be a great listen outside of the film, but it adds nothing to the experience of watching it.

     

    DiCaprio is fine as Gatsby, but the magnetism that made him a star is lacking here. Part of that is the character of Gatsby, who has a real lack of self-confidence despite appearances. But DiCaprio never fully commits to playing Gatsby, making him one-note more often than not.

     

    Two key characters are vastly miscast. Maguire never makes Carraway believable; in fact, Carraway might as well be an off-screen omniscient narrator for all the impact Maguire has on the film. Likewise, Mulligan just doesn’t have enough presence to fulfill the requirements of Daisy’s part of the story. Gatsby’s obsession with her is the crux of the plot, but it never hits home with Mulligan in the role.

     

    After more than two-and-a-half hours, the culmination of The Great Gatsby comes more as a relief than anything else. If Luhrmann was aiming for some grand point with this adaptation, it becomes lost amid the sound of Jay-Z and fury of 3D, all of it signifying nothing.

    Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby.

    Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby
      
    Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
    Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby.
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    Pickleball News

    Indoor pickleball concept from Georgia bounces into Frisco

    Raven Jordan
    Jul 7, 2025 | 7:06 pm
    Pickleball paddles
    Ace
    Pickleball paddles face off.

    There's a new indoor pickleball concept coming to Dallas: Called Ace Pickleball Club, it's a growing chain from Georgia, making its Texas debut in Frisco in an old BuyBuy Baby space at at 2930 Preston Rd. #600. According to a release, it opens July 12.

    Ace Pickleball was founded in Roswell, Georgia in 2023, and calls itself the only facility of its kind, delivering a member-focused approach and all-inclusive pricing.

    Professional-grade cushioned courts and a welcoming community create the optimal playing experience for all skill levels. The chain currently has 15 locations across the U.S. including Colorado, Oklahoma, and Illinois.

    They emphasize an inclusive community with unlimited open play, and offer clinics, tournaments, social events, and ball machine reservations. They also offer paddle demos so that members can test out the newest technology from a variety of brands to find their favorite.

    When they open, they'll offer free introductory pickleball clinics for beginners to go over the rules of the sport and feel more comfortable as they learn about the game.

     Ace Pickleball Club Ace Pickleball ClubAce Pickleball Club 

    Indoor facilities have an advantage in that they're impervious to weather so players can play year-round.

    The Frisco location is a nearly 33,000-square-foot facility with 11 full-size courts and one dinking court designed to welcome players of all skill levels. Memberships are $129 monthly with the first month free.

    Bringing the concept to Frisco is Juan Menchaca, a former corporate worker who is a pickleball player himself. When he and his wife relocated to the DFW area in May 2023, he brought with him a lifelong dream of opening a sports facility.

    Introduced to pickleball by his brother-in-law, who is now training to go pro in pickleball, Menchaca was instantly hooked by the game’s fast pace, simple rules, and strong sense of community.

    Opening a dedicated pickleball facility felt like the ideal first serve into the world of sports.

    “I saw the demand I knew Ace Pickleball Club was the right fit,” Menchaca says. “The model is perfect for all skill levels across the Frisco community. I’ve always wanted to create something people could rally around, and this not only provides that, but helps in bringing our community closer.”

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