The trailers for Ridley Scott’s superb new HOUSE OF GUCCI have you thinking that it’s a comedy look at a gold-digging intruder into the famed Gucci empire. In reality, Scott and his incredible cast have crafted a nearly three-hour saga loaded with legacy, greed, power and sex.
Picture “Casino” crossed with the most highly polished Harold Robbins novel you’ve ever read and you’re moving into the glitzy, ballsy territory covered here.
Lady Gaga solidifies her movie star power as Patrizia Reggiani, a working-class girl wielding her powerful sexuality like a nuclear weapon. When she meets quiet Mairizio Gucci (Adam Driver in a controlled, powerful performance) she seduces him with unrivaled predatory skills.
Maurizio’s father Rodolfo, the aging king of the Gucci empire sees Patrizia for what she is, carving her up with sharp wit and insight that falls on deaf ears. Jeremy Irons is at his aristocratic best, slicing Gaga with his stares and disparaging one-liners.
Al Pacino has his best role in years as Uncle Aldo Gucci, the fun brother spreading Gucci to the masses in America and Japan.
Jared Leto, buried under a hundred pounds of unflattering make-up nearly steals the show as Aldo’s son Paolo Gucci. The village idiot of the empire, he’s convinced of his own genius, but only shows talent for imploding the family from within. Leto’s hilarious, sad and disruptive.
Jack Huston is strong as the Tom Haydn figure of this “fashion Godfather”, Domenico De Sole. Reeve Carney makes an impression as Tom Ford, playing a fascinating part in the story that was a complete surprise to me. I saw Carney in the Bono Broadway disaster “Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark” and I’m very glad he escaped that web unscathed.
Director Scott (Alien, Gladiator, Blade Runner) weaves the story perfectly. For me, it moved quickly and enjoyably, creating tension out of drama rather than action sequences.
Gaga builds off her “A Star Is Born” debut with a multi-layered Patrizia. You have to admire her ambition and share Mauruzio’s horror as his wife begins to slither her way into corporate affairs well before he demonstrates any ambition to do so. Driver’s one of the best young American actors on the scene and Gaga goes toe-to-toe with him without blinking.
A long, adult story, loaded with brutal backstabbing, graphic sex and blind ambition, HOUSE OF GUCCI is all dressed up and ready to go.
Hop aboard and watch your back.
Father, Son and House of Gucci, this one gets an A.
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