"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." This lesson about life and love is just one of the many the movie Moulin Rouge has to offer its audience. Baz Luhrmann, director and co-writer of this wildly tantalizing musical extravaganza transports the viewers into a sensual underworld one would only expect to see in a fantasy. Some may argue, however, that the story's simplistic, predictable plot takes away from the success of the movie; this is easily overlooked due to the amazing visual and musical aspect of the film. This innovative musical goes above and beyond the formulaic products of other musical directors and gives the audience a unique experience they will not soon forget.
             The simplistic love story that Luhrmann and his co-writer Craig Pearce portray is made up for by the brilliant display of Paris and it's infamous nightclub, the Moulin Rouge. Some may argue that the visuals were too much and only covered up a bad plot, or as movie critic Scott Alan said "It's like Cabaret on acid. The quick cuts are like an assault on the senses, and Luhrmann doesn't keep the camera still long enough for you to absorb the rich texture or make an emotional connection to the characters". Though this may be somewhat true, at times the fast moving pace does seem a bit over powering the effect gives the audience a sense of the fast paced, exciting and erotic life of the characters.
             The use of music is also unique although not unusual. Many directors have used modern music set into past eras however the result just doesn't seem right. Such is the case in A Knight's Tale, a superficial tale that only was made worse by the use of good music in a bad way. Luhrmann, however, is one of the few who could get away with using modern, well 80's, top 40, American music in an 1890's French setting. Some may argue that he simply uses this music as a crutch and he q...