Movie review: House Of Gucci (M18)
The movie is about the house of Gucci, but it’s also just as much about the Haus of Gaga.
Opening in cinemas here on Dec 30, the star-studded camp melodrama is inspired by the bonkers true story of how one woman caused the downfall of the dysfunctional family behind the titular Italian fashion empire.
Casting pop superstar Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, in her second lead role since 2018’s A Star Is Born, is a total coup - and likely to earn her another best actress Oscar nomination.
Because without her captivating presence, magnetic performance and natural glamour, House Of Gucci would have been a ship set adrift without an anchor.
Over an unevenly paced 158 minutes, director Ridley Scott steers us through the ups and downs of a bad romance.
Flirtatious Patrizia and awkwardly shy Gucci heir-turned-eventual head Maurizio (Adam Driver) meet cute at a 1978 house party, fall madly in love and marry despite his father Rodolfo’s (Jeremy Irons) disapproval amid golddigger accusations.
When she is finally accepted into the fold, she devises a plot to obtain a controlling interest in Gucci by successfully taking out her husband’s uncle Aldo (Al Pacino) and cousin Paulo (Jared Leto).
Her ambition, cunning and manipulative ways eventually drive a wedge between the increasingly estranged couple, leading to Maurizio cheating on her and calling for a divorce.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, so Patrizia gets her psychic friend (Salma Hayek) to hire hitmen to kill Maurizio.
Patrizia is the only character given any sort of dimension and development, and even so, leaves much to be desired in the way she is fleshed out.
Everyone else is either forgettable or pure caricature.
As how he has been appearing at House Of Gucci’s red carpet premieres looking comically out of place, Driver seems to have wandered onto the set of the wrong movie.
An unrecognisable Leto buried in latex prosthetics, as the eccentric, useless designer wannabe Paolo, is pointless, rightfully attracting ridicule.
But the most head-scratching throwaway inclusion is Hayek. Then again, she is married to the CEO of Gucci’s parent company, so perhaps that’s how it’s supposed to make sense.
Emotionally, House Of Gucci slips on the runway.
But there is also so much fun fashion to distract you, from ‘80s signatures to the Tom Ford era, not to mention the glossy production values and set designs.
More style than substance awaits, if that’s your thing.
SCORE: 3/5
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