There are a few things I think most people will agree on: The Production values are great, the cast is star-studded and generally well acted, and it isn't a stupid movie. The delivery, however, I think will depend really heavily on the viewer. It's not an art house sensibility, more like something as distinctive of as Wes Anderson. It does what it wants in terms of pacing, self awareness of the the characters, subversion of verisimilitude-even as it goes to great lengths in its exposition to convey a truth about people in power and the super wealthy.

I think what makes some of it a bit confusing is it respects the viewer enough to have idiosyncratic character reactions, narration, and uncanny aspects to the film... but then doesn't trust us enough to take away the message on the screen, which is not subtle. The unreality continues, as some of this did take place in reality and there are numerous flights of fancy that take place, which transgress the actual narrator, further breaking the 4th wall.

Basically, what I'm saying is it's real weird. It's going to be your vibe or it's not. Had the pacing clipped along better I think many of the choices would have played better. As is, this is something like a 6.5 rounded up. The message is pretty perfunctory. Rich people have no morals? No way! Still. You look at the American landscape these days and it's hard to say the average American doesn't need something spoon-fed to them.