Gillipedia Official Rating: Lady
Gucci tries to save the day
Score: 6/10
Do I care about Gucci? No, not really.
Was I aware that there was a dramatic familial Italian drama behind the story
of the company? Not in the slightest. And going into this film, I wasn’t
shaking at the bits to learn the history. But when I see Lady Gaga and Adam
Driver are being directed by Ridley Scott—that catches my interest. I feel like
the marketing really oiled up the star-studded cast hoping to drag them along
to the finish line of an Oscar-baity checker flag. This film has the stars and
the budget and the conceit of being based on a real life story. So if you took
a peak at the score above, why is the end result muddled and ultimately pretty
meh?
Well, it’s not because of Gaga.
Following up her Oscar-nominated performance (where she should’ve won) from A
Star is Born, Gaga shines as Patrizia, an Italian who tries to fit in with
social classes above her while working for her father’s humble transportation
business. The first third of the film is following her around as she meets the
shy Maurizio played by one of this generation’s best talents in Adam Driver. He
hopes of becoming a lawyer and doesn’t flaunt his Gucci family’s wealth.
Patrizia clearly makes most of the moves in the relationship, and that balance
of her ambition and his quiet intellect makes a solid couple. Holding back from
a range of golf puns, Jeremy Irons plays Driver’s father. He considers Patrizia
to be a bogey match for his son, and when Maurizio talks of marrying the girl,
Irons boots him off the green and forces him into the bunker. Undeterred by his
father’s disowning, Driver makes his way to Patrizia’s house to ask for her
hand in marriage as well as a job at her father’s business.
If the first third focuses on the
stars’ relationship, the second act is Patrizia slowly inserting Maurizio back
into the high-end clothing family business and thus getting herself involved as
well. Irons’ brother is played by Pacino who instantly takes a liking to
Patrizia and tells her to come visit the store in New York. While Pacino has a
strong grip on the business, he has also come to terms with his bumbling son
Paolo played by an unrecognizable Jared Leto. While most of the cast either
embraces a subtle Italian accent or honestly doesn’t make an effort, Leto goes
full-on Super Mario Bros. mama mia I uh cannota believa you coulda do this
toa me! with his accent. And honestly, I’m here for it. Yes, it’s the clear
comedic relief and brazenly over-the-top, but the contrast from the serious
acting from everyone else is actually welcome.
That’s enough for now about the story.
Let’s discuss execution. Because aside from Leto, this movie over two and a
half hours plays too much into family drama without being nearly as compelling
as other Italian families like say The Godfather or any number of
Scorcese films. But it also has an occasional inkling to think it is also a
comedy, or at least it wants to insert enough comedic elements to pass the
runtime along. There are moments that maybe are played for laughs? I’m honestly
not sure or if the pacing and delivery of lines was just a little weird for
serious dialogue.
Outside of the film’s inability to
hone in on a genre, it sadly also suffers from story. I think Gaga’s rise into
the family business with her husband there as the bloodline name is pretty good
overall. And we get about an hour and fifteen minutes worth of that content. If
you’re not familiar with the story, you may have seen Salma Hayek also make an
appearance in one scene and thought that was a bit weird—probably could’ve left
that on the chopping block. Only, to actually tell the story of Gucci, it turns
out the film has to pivot into new territory. The film is forced to change its
pathway narratively due to the real-life circumstances, so after the halfway
mark, House of Gucci really starts going downhill. Patrizia drives a
wedge between Maurizio and his family, and he in turn becomes more and more
obsessed with wealth and his newfound interest of behaving however he so
chooses. What was built up over the first half feels thrown to the wayside a
bit; I won’t say why, but it feels more like they were forced to reach the end
point of the story rather than having the characters naturally progress toward
the conclusion.
The end result of Gucci has
interesting criminal undertones and how the stars are ultimately involved;
however, how we get to this point is disjointed among how this story is told.
Combine that with a confused tone and it leaves a slightly sour taste in your
mouth. But Gaga and a subtle Driver both shine. The makeup and hair people on
Gaga alone deserve an Oscar, and the production design of this glamorous family
is quite engaging to watch. Leto is wonderfully bizarre, and the characters
overall are varied in their personalities. There’s parts to appreciate, but the
end result isn’t altogether satisfying. When you don’t rise to the level of the
Oscars when that is the clear intent, the film falls flat. House of Gucci
ends up being par for the course. There it is, one last golf pun.
