Murder. Madness. Glamor. Greed.
And Lady. Freakin’. Gaga.
It is safe to say my Thanksgiving weekend was a wild time with our “father, son and House of Gucci”.
Ridley Scott’s drama, House of Gucci, follows the true story of how Patrizia Reggiani’s (Lady Gaga) marriage to Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) turned murderous, after her ambition unraveled the Gucci family.
Despite the film’s inability to “pick a lane” in its storytelling genre, I enjoyed the hell out of House of Gucci.
It is a super over the top drama with immense performances, cut throat conflict and a lot of “spill the tea” moments that will have you screaming or, going audibly gasping, “Ooooooooooh”.
House of Gucci may not be for everyone. I can see why many critics are divided. However I do think the level of camp woven throughout the narrative made this soap opera-like and unbelievably outrageous true story even more engaging.
I do think that the film would have been more impactful in a limited series format, to crush the unnecessarily long two and half hour runtime. However, the lavish production, killer fashion and fantastic ensemble had me totally invested.
Now before we start diving into specific performances, I know what you’re thinking; “Heather worships Lady Gaga. She’s biased.”
But, trust me when I tell you, Lady Gaga knocks it out of the park in House of Gaga, establishing herself as a phenomenal dramatic actress.
Her portrayal of Patrizia is fiery, calculated, utterly captivating, and in a weird way, empowering. Yes, Patrizia committed murder and yes, she did a lot of things wrong. But she had a strong business sense and she was ready to take on the world. And like Lady Gaga herself said during the London premiere, I don’t believe in the glorification of murder. I do believe in the empowerment of women.”
Now there’s no Gucci without going into the impressive gentleman who brought the family to life. Adam Driver’s nuanced performance is strong, showcasing his character’s development as he struggles to find his footing in the world of Gucci. Driver continues to be one of the most brilliant actors of our generation.
Al Pachino is such perfection and brilliantly utilized to bring Aldo Gucci to life. He is another actor who just continues to impress film after film. At 81 years old, he is simply astounding.
And then there’s Jared Leto. Although he sounds like Mario caricature and wobbles around spouting the most ridiculous lines in the film, I cannot say that I was displeased his performance. He actually was sort of the comic relief during certain scenes. It may not be the “love letter to Italy” Leto thinks it is, but his transformative performance isn’t as cringeworthy as I expected.
Is House of Gucci mind blowing? No. It certainly isn’t Ridley Scott’s best film and it certainly won’t take home the Oscar (although, you know our Gaga has a chance).
However, it was one of the most entertaining romps I’ve had at the theatres in a long time. And if you love fashion and drama, this one is for you sweetie.
Final Thoughts: An over the top blast from beginning to end, House of Gucci is is a fashionable, fierce and fun drama.
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