With a stellar cast and a fascinating storyline, you would think House of Gucci would be a sure-fire success with the general public and reviewers. But this melodramatic story seems to be ruffling a few feathers and causing audiences to laugh.
Lady Gaga, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Jared Leto and Adam Driver are all playing lead characters in the House of Gucci.
The story is almost reminiscent of an old Italian Opera. A very wealthy family of fashion designers don’t have a foreseeable heir to their empire with both brothers of the fashion house rather disappointed in their sons. One of the lonely sons meets a young woman, who instantly recognizes him and his apparent fortune. They fall in love and decide to get married. The family disowns the son. The wife plots how to get her husband back into the family business and more importantly get her hands on the family fortune. Sound very familiar?? Surprising enough this story is based on real life events.
Patrizia Reggiani played by Lady Gaga, is the lead character in this film. The film centers around the meeting of Patrizia and Maurizo Gucci played by Adam Driver. Maurizo is the son of Rodolfo Gucci, one of the founding brothers of the house of Gucci and Rodolfo is played by Jeremy Irons. The other founding brother is Aldo Gucci and played by Al Pacino.
The reality of the story is that Patrizia organized a couple of hitmen to kill her husband Maurizo after he decides to leave her after she helps get into the family business and take the lead of the famed fashion house Gucci.
“Camp”, “Over the Top” and “Melodramatic” are a few words that come to mind when you finish watching this film. The characters are just so out of this world and unbelievable.
The film is directed by Ridley Scott and there are moments in the film where the actor’s performances are so comical that you can’t help but laugh, as many of the audience members do when Lady Gaga says the line “Father, Son, House of Gucci” while crossing her heart in a speech to Jared Leto.
Originally developed and conceived by Ridley Scott’s wife, Giannina Facio, House of Gucci is a passion project and labor of love that has taken numerous years to develop as explained by Facio.
The film is an absolute visual feast with the beautiful fashions of Gucci on constant display as well and the stunning countryside and houses in and around Milan.
Now Let’s talk actors and their performances as for me, at times, are a little varied and confusing.
Jeremy Irons as Rodolfo Gucci is believable and honest in the role. He is what you imagine a strong forceful Italian father to be, especially being one of the founding fathers of a fashion empire that he has built from scratch.
Al Pacino as Aldo Gucci is another actor who knows how to give everything to a role and get the best out of the language and other actors, he shares the screen. His performance as Aldo is fun and a little comical but enjoyable.
Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani is the stand out but also holds her own alongside both Jeremy Irons and Al Pacino. She has clearly done her homework and it has paid off. The accent, the body language and style, it makes you forget it is Lady Gaga and just a lady who is slightly obsessed about her husband’s legacy and family fortune.
House of Gucci is a very long move that could have been an 8-part series like Halston or The Crown, as there is just so much jammed packed into the almost 3-hour film that it almost deserves to have more time decided to telling the story and understanding the characters.
House of Gucci is a very well made and fascinating movie with outstanding performances by the likes of Jeremy Irons, Lady Gaga and Al Pacino. But you can’t help but wonder if it is a drama or a tongue in cheek film telling the overly dramatic story of the fashion house Gucci.
House of Gucci is currently available to watch at your local cinema.