Thriller, romance, opera? You decide because this potboiler has it all. Out Nov 24 only in theaters.
House of Gucci
“It was a name that sounded so sweet... Synonymous with wealth, style, power. But that name was a curse, too.” Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga)
House of Gucci is the best wannabe movie of the year. It wants to be these: A romance (yes, between Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) and Patrizia—until she murders him); a gangster film (well, some of these business types, even well-dressed Gucci’s, act thuggish, and when they murder, sure do act like the mob); a revenge thriller (You probably know the revenge motif here—Patrizia not happy with Maurizio’s infidelity and divorce from the comfortable Gucci’s).
Maybe because director Ridley Scott is used to larger pallets such as in Blade Runner and earlier this year, The Last Duel’s medieval landscape, he has a bit of trouble making subtle entertainment out of Maurizio’s crumbling relationships. Not to worry, though, if you bought tickets because there’s plenty of corporate intrigue brought home by a Lady Macbeth-like Patrizia and her husband, both plotters of the fall of Gucci family patriarchs.
With the participation of Al Pacino as Uncle Aldo, the comparison with Corleone shenanigans seems obvious although of a much lesser degree of accomplishment than Godfather. However, the regular infusion of opera music and Pavarotti himself adds another wannabe element to this not-quite operatic story. Hubris is well and thriving as in the Greek sense: characters will get what they deserve.
As Scott soon brings back Gladiator for its second iteration, he sharpens his sword here on plotting family and tragic decisions, bloodless financial gladiatorum until the Caesar-like assassination. If the Gucci family’s fall seems unfortunate, the house survives to this day as a pre-eminent house of fashion. And that happens without a Gucci guiding it.
You’ll enjoy Lady Gaga’s acting chops as we did in A Star is Born and the minor characters worthy of Robert-Altman excess. The live theater experience is welcome: big screen, big sound, big story, little audiences. It’s like renting our own theater.
House of Gucci
Director: Ridley Scott (The Last Duel)
Screenplay: Becky Johnston (The Prince of Tides), Roberto Bentivegna (The Eel)
Cast: Lady Gaga (A Star is Born), Adam Driver (The Last Duel)
Run Time:2h 37m
Rating: R
John DeSando, a Los Angeles Press Club first-place winner for National Entertainment Journalism, also co-hosts Cinema Classics for NPR/WCBE. Contact him at JohnDeSando62@gmail.com.
