Quirky and too long, House of Gucci feels like a nineties television movie. And while the storytelling was good the tone was all over the place. What bothered me the most were the fake Italian accents. I mean, come on! This “little thing” was really annoying and actually quite funny at times. Actors struggled to maintain them and this fucked up the atmosphere in some of the crucial scenes. I didn’t know anything about Gucci’s or the brand, so all of this was new to me. I wonder, what’s the perspective of someone who knew what was going on. This is Ridley Scott’s second movie of 2021, with the first one, The Last Duel also being quite polarizing. But, let’s start from the beginning.
First of all, you should know that this isn’t some sprawling epic that will explain everything you need to know about Gucci’s. The “brand” is almost completely in the background here, so if you want to know more about it, I recommend you check out some documentaries. Secondly, we focus on the love story of Patrizia and Maurizio Gucci and examine the family through their eyes and relationship. As you’ve undoubtedly heard by now, the acting was phenomenal. I could barely recognize Jared Leto as Paolo Gucci. They did the same thing they did with Tropic Thunder and Tom Cruise or Horrible Bosses and Colin Farrell by taking a “handsome” actor to play an overweight and bald guy.
And finally, I have to say that despite all its flaws House of Gucci is still worth watching. The cinematography and production values are top-notch, something that was expected from this type of movie. Moving on, I also loved the soundtrack with a couple of hits that are bound to make you move. The tone is, however, a completely different story. You don’t know whether they are being sarcastic, ironic, trying to be quirky and funny, or for real. And this goes on for two and a half hours.
It’s the late seventies in the city of Milan, Italy and Patrizia Reggiani just met a dashing young man. His name is Maurizio Gucci and he’s an heir of the Gucci empire worth billions. Since Patrizia is just an average girl, the two of them are now outcasts, but that’s only the start of their turbulent relationship.
I cannot help but compare House of Gucci to two much better television shows. Succession is one of the few shows that blew me away in these past few years, revolving around an incredibly wealthy family and its patriarch. It explores almost the same issues as House of Gucci but in a much more intelligent, complex, and ultimately entertaining way. And it’s really funny too. The second one is American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. I know that they had much more space to work with but still. So, if you’re looking for something to watch after this movie, there are your recommendations.
Ultimately, House of Gucci is a solid movie that should keep your attention if you’re willing to dedicate an entire evening to it. Lady Gaga and Adam Driver gave great performances helped by a couple of veterans like Pacino and Irons. And the story, based on real events, has enough intrigue and twists to be engaging on its own, let alone in the hands of a master like Ridley Scott.
Director: Ridley Scott
Writers: Becky Johnston, Roberto Bentivegna, Sara Gay Forden
Cast: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Jared Leto, Jack Huston, Salma Hayek
Fun Facts: Salma Hayek is married to François-Henri Pinault, founder and CEO of the French multinational Kering, which owns the Gucci brand as of 2021.
Rating:
IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11214590/
