House of Gucci (2021)

Review

157min

Genre:       Fact-based, Crime, Drama

Director:     Ridley Scott

Cast:         Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino…and more

Writers:     Becky Johnston, Roberto Bentivegna and Sara Gay Forden

-Synopsis-

Built on generations of wealth, power, and glamour, the Italian fashion powerhouse is steadily plunged into turmoil and scandal when one of their heirs marries an ambitious socialite outsider, as the foundations of Gucci are shaken and the ultimate price is paid in this true story drama from the director of ‘Gladiator’ and ‘All the Money in the World’.

This certainly isn’t Ridley Scott’s first biographical foray into a wealthy and controversial family hit by crime and scandal—or indeed one filmed in Italy and surrounded in controversy itself—having previously plunged into Getty family history with 2017’s ‘All the Money in the World’. But with ‘House of Gucci’ the legendary director truly turns up the glamour and style to eleven. Teaming up with an all-star cast and screenwriters Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna to adapt the 2002 Sara Gay Forden novel of the same name, taking the prerequisite artistic licence and adding a sensationalism which goes missing for large parts of a book sometimes accused of reading like a corporate biography—all to deliver a stranger-than-fiction family drama fashion saga about ambition and betrayal which stumbles but just about manages to strut the celluloid catwalk without falling off.

Lady Gaga stars as Patrizia Reggiani, a young and ambitious Northern Italian social climber whose life transforms into a calling when she meets and sinks her manicured nails into Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver), a quiet aspiring lawyer, son of Rodolfo Gucci (Jeremy Irons), and heir to the Gucci fashion empire. But as their relationship evolves and her influence grows, she soon begins to drive a wedge between her husband and his powerful uncle Aldo (Al Pacino) and eccentric cousin Paolo (Jared Leto), creating a struggle for the reigns of the company which splits the couple apart and threatens to destroy the family business as they know it—driving her to prove the adage that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

It will come as no surprise that a film about the more scandalous recent history of one of the world’s most renowned fashion houses truly looks the part, dressed to the nines in fashions and styles largely of the 80s and early 90s which range from the chic and elegant to the cringeworthy, and with the hairstyles to match. This is also a beautifully shot picture by cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, The Martian) who uses twilight tones to capture the beauty of picturesque palazzos, streets, and villas of Lombardy, Tuscany and Rome, where the film was primarily shot. Meanwhile the music sets the energetic mood and drives the drama by combining an often whimsical score from another regular Ridley Scott collaborator Harry Gregson-Williams (Kingdom of Heaven, The Martian) with a soundtrack of 60s, 70s and 80s pop—including Italian version of classic American tunes—and a classical and operatic selection befitting the opulent locations.

Yet as much as ‘House of Gucci’ may at times look like a cinematic fashion show or a moving postcard, this is ultimately an ensemble character study and a period portrait of an industry as ludicrous as it is lucrative. As such it’s ultimately held up by the performances and the character choices—and what a curious combination of choices it proves.

Much has been made of the ‘Italian’ accents used by the American and British actors—or more accurately what gringos probably think most Italians sound like—which at times feel like a caricature reminding us of a certain British pasta sauce advert, including from Lady Gaga whose voice we hear so much of and even despite her own Italian ancestry. But despite taking a little while to get past, it does thankfully get to the point where they morph from a distraction to an afterthought which doesn’t divert too much from the overall standout performances and undeniable screen chemistry between Adam Driver as the subtle human heart of the piece and Gaga as its powerhouse driving force, befitting the character she plays.

Despite an ensemble cast featuring some serious talent and a few screen legends, this is in many ways the Lady Gaga show, as the relative screen novice underlines her burgeoning acting abilities by helping to hold together a meandering narrative and erratic tone which rarely hits an emotional high note, while playing her part in just about keeping this crazy train on the rails. But most impressive is her ability to turn an ambitious and manipulative wealth-obsessed figure—whose attentions border on stalking and whose actions were ultimately diabolical—into a somehow sympathetic and relatable figure, through the sheer force of the music superstar’s moxie and charisma.

Yet the film’s two central performances as well as the more subtle supporting ones from the likes of Jeremy Irons and Jack Huston—and indeed a slightly more grandiose one from Al Pacino as the Gucci co-patriarch—are almost all overshadowed at one point or another by what Jared Leto chooses to do with his turn as eccentric Gucci co-heir and family black sheep Paolo. As the self-styled Oscar-winner makes a much talked about physical transformation and delivers a bizarrely whimsical performance which wouldn’t be out of place in a Wes Anderson or Farrelly Brothers film, cutting a rather sad comical figure who yearns for recognition but cries tears of a clown and does no justice to the real man whom it portrays. And yet despite his performance being a little self-indulgent and out-of-place it does bring some welcome levity to the drama, and in the end leaves a longer-lasting impression than most others in the film.

What ultimately lets Ridley Scott’s latest ambitious period human study down is not its collection of characters but how he and his screenwriters weave this tapestry of finickity figures together. Struggling to reconcile a flashy tale of greed, persona and excess with a genuine family drama whilst also telling a story of corporate legacy and the history of a fashion icon, all while trying to keep the audience invested in a character piece which meanders and loses momentum while dragging over a more than two-and-a-half-hour runtime—which could have been heavily trimmed without losing much in the way of narrative or character development.

While ‘House of Gucci’ may not be the most memorable effort of Ridley Scott’s storied career, it’s far from the least either. And despite stumbling over character and narrative choices, and its uncertainty over what type of biopic it wants to be, it’s still a thoroughly entertaining and reasonably engrossing portrait of the rich & famous, and a spicy account of the fall and rebirth of a fashion dynasty—serving as a scandalous cinematic advert for the aspirational brand and its products . . . which is already paying dividends at their gilded cash registers.

The Bottom Line…

A curious and slightly rambling but immersive and impeccably styled family portrait of ambition, scandal, and betrayal, ‘House of Gucci’ blends facts with whimsy and high drama to deliver something which sits somewhere between a stylish but tragic family drama and a slightly satirical 1980s commedia dell’arte—a romanticised showcase for the Gucci brand and scandalous account of its recent history which proves a Marmite proposition for its audiences.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

All the Money in the World (2017)

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