Life
Film review: House of Gucci
Back to the era of power suits for this camp bio pic. Adam Driver is excellent, but overall it's a mess says Linda Marric
November 22, 2021 18:02
Back to the era of power suits for this camp bio pic. Adam Driver is excellent, but overall it's a mess says Linda Marric
November 22, 2021 18:02Power suits, high fashion and family feuds take centre stage in this camp and indisputably over the top biopic from legendary director Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Alien). It stars pop megastar-turned-actor Lady Gaga (A Star is Born) as the infamous Patrizia Reggiani, while Adam Driver (Girls, Marriage Story) is sensational in the role of Maurizio Gucci, the ex husband she went on to murder out of jealousy and greed. Elsewhere, Al Pacino plays Maurizio’s uncle Aldo, while Jeremy Irons is his father Rodolfo.
Adapted by Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna from the 2001 book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by Sara Gay Forden, House of Gucci also features a bonkers turn from a barely recognisable Jared Leto (Requiem For a Dream) as Maurizio’s eccentric cousin Paolo, while the always brilliant Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire, Hail, Caesar! ) is impeccable as Domenico De Sole, the steely-eyed former president and CEO of Gucci Group.
When she first meets Maurizio at a high society party in 1970, Patrizia is instantly taken in, not only by his good looks and charming nonchalance, but also by the name Gucci. While not exactly poor herself - born to a single mother she never knew her real father, but was later adopted by her wealthy stepfather - Patrizia was soon seduced by glitz attached to her new boyfriend. The two become inseparable overnight with the ambitious young woman doing most of the chasing.
Taken in by the glamour and gloss of her new family, Patrizia became obsessed with making Gucci one the most sought after fashion houses once again. Her whole world eventually comes crashing down when, exasperate by the chokehold she has on him, Maurizio deserts his wife and starts a new life with a new lover, sending Patrizia into a blind rage.
Ridley Scott presents an undeniably contrived, messy and more than a little disjointed drama which often relies on jarringly verbose exchanges and overly melodramatic and stereotypical depictions of Italian characters. And while the rest of the cast are busy chewing the scenery - and there is a lot of scenery to chew - it is left to Driver to rein in the madness with one of his greatest performances yet. He seems to be in a completely different movie from everyone else; he puts in a layered and commendably subtle turn as a man caught in a power of wills with his family and very ambitious wife.
Although undeniably engaging, House of Gucci often feels like a made for TV adaptation where nobody is sure what kind of production they’re in. Lady Gaga gives a flawed, but likeable turn, while Leto, Pacino and Irons all battle it out on who can be the most ridiculously over the top. All in all, a watchable, camp and hilariously over the top mess. Driver is in a class of his own, it’s a shame the rest fo the cast didn’t get the memo.
To get more from Life, click here to sign up for our free Life newsletter.