DbcultAccessing Vault...
6.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Moulin Rouge remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you dig 1930s musicals that feel like they were put together on a Friday afternoon, you’ll probably have a good time with Moulin Rouge. It’s got that specific, frantic energy where everyone is talking just a little too fast and the plot exists mostly to get us to the next musical number. If you hate old-fashioned stage tropes or need your movies to make logical sense, maybe skip this one.
The whole premise of switching places with your own sister is so ridiculous that you just have to lean into it. Constance Bennett is clearly having a ball, even when the script throws some really clunky dialogue her way. I honestly kept forgetting she was supposed to be a different person, but does it really matter?
It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in Figures Do Lie, where you can tell the actors are just trying to keep the momentum going before the whole thing falls apart. It’s not high art, but it’s definitely high effort.
The ending isn't exactly a surprise, but watching the husband finally figure out he’s been duped is worth the price of admission. It’s that perfect level of light, fluffy entertainment that doesn't demand you think too hard about the consequences of lying to your spouse for weeks on end. 🎭
Maybe it’s not as polished as some of the bigger productions from the era, but there’s a certain charm to the rough edges. It feels like a real movie made by real people, not some calculated machine. And honestly, I’ll take a messy, fun movie over a perfect, boring one any day of the week.
