House of Gucci

While many American directors struggle to create something truly great or original these days, 84-year-old Ridley Scott managed to do it twice in one year. House of Gucci might seem like just a fashion drama on the surface, but there's a lot more to it. The film is packed with extravagant performances, a dark tale of an Italian family, confident direction, and a fantastic atmosphere that immerses you in Italy. The period-perfect soundtrack, including tracks by the legendary Giorgio Moroder, adds to the film's appeal. Sure, some moments in the script fall flat, but the cast more than makes up for it. Lady Gaga dominates the screen, Al Pacino reminds you why he’s a legend from the old gangster films, Jared Leto is almost unrecognizable in his role, and Adam Driver brings a stern intensity to his character. There's definitely plenty to enjoy here. (18/01/2022)

A star-studded mob movie without mobsters in a thoroughly engaging delivery by Ridley Scott. When I wrote two days ago about how much I was moved by Last Night in Soho and how few films manage to do that, I was kind of hoping that House of Gucci would be another one. Fortunately, it was. This riveting saga benefits from a stellar ensemble cast as much as it does from Scott's understated yet thoroughly engaging direction. Lady Gaga will be forever a safe bet for me after this performance, Adam Driver confirms that after John Williams's music he is the best thing the new Star Wars has brought us, Al Pacino is classic Al, obviously happy to get a proper role, and I had a great time watching his art in the cinema again (the "No!" scene is unforgettable). Jared Leto doesn't get lost even under the (excellent) make-up, which is good, Jeremy Irons and Salma Hayek have probably the smallest roles of all, but that doesn't mean they don't rightfully enjoy them. One of the films of the year, hands down. (27/11/2021)

Ridley Scott's second biopic this year, this time from a more recent history than The Last Duel, had to compensate for the foregone conclusion through the acting and technical execution, which he thankfully managed to do quite well in most cases. The screen brings together acting aces of both the older and younger generations, and although their English-Italian comes across as a little dodgy at times, they give quality performances. The audio-visual execution is good, which is not surprising in a film by Scott. Although I’ve rated both films with four stars, I found The Last Duel more impressive. House of Gucci gets minus points for an unnecessarily long running time and the death of Maurizio, which was a bit too much for my taste, but it's still a solid biographical drama. (10/12/2021)

House of Gucci is a moderately entertaining film, though thanks only to the overacting, which can hardly be considered an asset. It’s as if Scott deliberately didn’t keep them on the leash, so as to cause ripples on the stagnant surface of the dramaturgically weak material. For a more dramatic subject (also based on actual events), a more suspenseful narrative and a better “bad guy”, I liked his All the Money in the World a bit better. Jeremy Irons and Al Pacino were the only ones I enjoyed here. And of course Camille Cottin towards the end. (10/12/2021)

A superficial ride on the cheap tinsel of fashion mafiosi, which wallows in its own pompous chauvinism, but never once gets under your skin. Scott is a great man. For one hundred and fifty minutes he blows out the candles on a birthday cake sovereignly like Aldo, and you'll even forgive the shortness of breath. But when it's all over, you'll feel a little disappointed that a showrunner who wasn't afraid to push the characters through something deeper for eight up to ten hours didn’t take up the mantle. (22/11/2022)