I have been hesitant to want to claim that movies are progressively getting worse. However, it’s starting to get to the point where there are only a few outstanding films each year, whereas there would be upward of a dozen in the past. Last year, the best movies were Promising Young Woman and News of the World, two that, while suitable, wouldn’t have even made my Top 10 a decade ago. This year might even be worse. As we enter December, the best movie I’ve seen is a quiet little movie called Blue Bayou, which could get some late Oscar buzz, but it’s unlikely to sneak into the top lists of critics like Sound of Metal did a year ago. Likewise, movies such as The Last Duel, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and King Richard have had some excellent individual acting performances but have underwhelmed as a whole. The same can be said of Ridley Scott’s (Alien, Black Hawk Down) flat House of Gucci.

I wanted to like this movie, but I knew I wouldn’t. The trailer looked boring, but it was getting so much hype that I knew it would get some Oscar consideration. I figured that I had a better chance to be engrossed by the story on the big screen than I would be at home. I love a good biopic, but fashion isn’t an interest of mine. The trailer looked intriguing but didn’t wow me. The critic and audience scores (61%, 87%) suggested that there was more than meets the eye. Perhaps I could have been mesmerized or seduced like Patrizia (Lady Gaga – A Star Is Born) seduces Maurizio (Adam Driver – The Last Duel, Marriage Story). That didn’t happen. Despite the initial hook in the first 20 minutes, I found it uninteresting and slow. A lot of it was the topic. Fashion and leather goods? As far as I know, I’ve never been in a Gucci store or touched a Gucci product. Of course, I’ve heard of Gucci but did not know the story of Maurizio or his influential family.

Maurizio brings Patrizia home. She doesn’t meet his father Rodolfo’s (Jeremy Irons – Reversal of Fortune, Kingdom of Heaven) lofty standards, primarily because of her family’s business. He also wonders if she’s using him for his money. He went as far as to have her followed to learn about her background and possible motives. In the end, it doesn’t matter as Maurizio defends Patrizia. The two marry and have a child.

As the elder Guccis begins to exit the movie, Maurizio becomes more of a player. This is a bit where I lost interest. I knew of Patrizia before seeing this movie and knew she would be our antagonist. But, I honestly had lost interest in this point. I understood what was to come, and there weren’t many surprises. House of Gucci followed a very formulaic process at this point. I tuned in and out from this point forward. I hardly noticed when Jared Leto (Dallas Buyer’s Club, Suicide Squad) entered the third act and barely paid attention to Al Pacino’s (Carlito’s Way, Scent of a Woman) Maurizio’s uncle.

The acting of the two leads was great. While they weren’t wholly dynamic when they shared the screen, each was cast appropriately. Lady Gaga’s attempt at an Italian accent was somewhat of a deterrence. I didn’t even notice. Driver has played several characters in movies I haven’t enjoyed (Marriage Story, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, While We’re Young, This Is Where I Leave You). At this point in his career, there hasn’t been a movie he’s starred in that I really liked. I enjoyed The Last Duel,  BlackKklansman, and Inside Llewyn Davis and thought he was outstanding in the under-the-radar Paterson. He’s still young (38 years old at the time of this release) and already has two Best Actor nominations. He’ll earn more and, likely, one for this role. He’s a versatile actor. I wish I had enjoyed his movies more.

House of Gucci is a hard pass for me. It was a fine enough story, but it didn’t click with me. There are many more exciting biopics out there to watch. Still, I understand there are few about fashion designers, which could be a hook for many. I would not see this if your only reason is that you like Ridley Scott movies. Unfortunately, this never did feel like a Scott-directed movie. However, I would recommend it if you are a Lady Gaga or Adam Driver fan. At this stage in their careers, I could take or leave either of them, though I expect to like them both considerably more as they continue to make more movies. They are both versatile actors. It’s just that while fantastic, Lady Gaga’s A Star is Born is the only other movie in her filmography thus far, while Driver has starred in many films I haven’t enjoyed.

Plot 7/10
Character Development 7/10
Character Chemistry 6/10
Acting 9.5/10
Screenplay 7/10
Directing 6/10
Cinematography 8/10
Sound 6/10
Hook and Reel 5/10
Universal Relevance 8/10
69%

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• • Marseille
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