'Moulin Rogue' Remains The Best Jukebox Musical Of All Time 25 Years Later
Jukebox musicals might not be everyone's cup of tea, but when they're done right, those of us who are fans will gobble them up. There are a number of great ones out there, but perhaps none more iconic than Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! (2001), which turns 25 this year. There's something really unfortunate that happens with fiction and time, and more often than not, movies don't age as well as they could. Thankfully, for Moulin Rouge!, it stands the test of time, save for a few minor beats that are interestingly improved in the Broadway musical.
Still, as a jukebox musical, nothing tops Moulin Rouge!, and I say this as a self-proclaimed Mamma Mia! (2008) scholar. From Luhrmann's brilliant directing and every song choice to the stunning performances from Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge! is still a near-perfect movie 25 years later.
'Moulin Rouge!' Shines Because Of Nicole Kidman And Ewan McGregor
Sometimes, when a movie no longer holds up, the performers are to blame to some degree, but everything that McGregor and Kidman bring to the table as Christian and Satine, respectively, is a beautiful, lovely gift. Their reunion at the 2026 Oscars proves as much, serving as a sweet reminder of the fact that apparently McGregor thinks of the "Elephant Love Medley" often.
As someone who's seen the Broadway and touring version of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, I can confirm how much the duos elevate the emotions and ensure that the story sticks the landing. Christian and Satine are the heart of Moulin Rouge, far more than the setting, so having two actors whose chemistry still glistens amid the heartache at the end is a rare gift.
For a lot of classics like Roman Holiday (1953), Casablanca (1943), and even When Harry Met Sally (1989), the actors at the helm are part of the legacy. They ensure that the story feels rewarding every time we watch it because they give their all through their performances. It's why, back in the day, when two people were exceptional in one film together, Hollywood executives would pair them up in another project. Fans today are still begging for this kind of treatment, most recently with Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly from Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette (2026). Transcendent chemistry goes a long way, and few deliver as breathtakingly as McGregor and Kidman did in Moulin Rouge!
The Music Choices In 'Moulin Rouge' Are Inimitable
There are a few things worse than when a show or a movie loses the license to a song and can no longer feature it. It happens frequently with network TV shows, and it also happened when Moulin Rouge! came to the Broadway stage. Songs like "One Day I'll Fly Away," "Like a Virgin," "Hindi Sad Diamonds," and perhaps most tragically, "The Show Must Go On" were replaced with different pop tracks. It's not the end of the world, really, because the music in the live show still hits where it needs to, but there aren't many songs that can capture the gravitas of "The Show Must Go On." The production comes alive in such a heart-wrenching fashion with that number that all the emotions are heightened as we reach the movie's climax.
At the same time, while Aaron Tveit's "El Tango de Roxanne" is a religious experience live, the choreography and narrative differences in the movie are a completely different ballpark. The movie version is so iconic that it's been used for Olympic numbers and is still something that people stop and look at if it crosses their social media feeds.
'Moulin Rouge' Is Baz Luhrmann's Magnum Opus
Baz Luhrmann is one of the most uniquely gifted directors of our time, and his vision is unlike any other. There's undoubtedly beauty in all his movies, but the magic in Moulin Rouge! is indescribable. It's vibrant, bold, unabashedly loud, dark, and wholly eccentric in a delicate balance that few movies like it capture. The movie sets the standard for how a jukebox musical can result in a metaphorical escape, taking you on the kind of ride that legitimately feels transformative. The songs don't feel like music we know from elsewhere, but they feel like they're part of the story—specifically made for it, even if they weren't.
Twenty-five years later, and every time I rewatch, I'm reminded of how Moulin Rouge! was not only ahead of its time in the production design, but also somehow beautifully contained within the decade, too. And that rare marriage is part of its charm. It's what makes the story not only physically glisten with a brightness that's all too rare nowadays, but it also shines in its unapologetic message about how love and friendships are the sole language we all understand as human beings.
Thematically rich with nuance, expansive in its production design, and wildly catchy with its music, everything about Moulin Rouge! results in the kind of movie that explores the importance of art amid tragedies. It's a story about the legacy of the characters, but it's also a tremendous achievement for everyone involved, and the fact that it gets better and better with time speaks volumes.
