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House of Gucci (2021)

Awards season sees the release of star-studded films and there are few films released this year that have an Oscar count as high as Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci. Following the true story of the assassination of Gucci heir, Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) at the hands of his estranged wife, Patrizia (Lady Gaga), House of Gucci is a two and a half-hour look into the public and private familial struggles of one of the most well-known brands in the world and the scandal that surrounds them. The film has garnered much discussion due to its American casting as opposed to an Italian cast as well as the tone of the writing which injects a lot of humour into a film that is based on a tragic true story. Boasting a cast that is led by Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, and Al Pacino, House of Gucci may not be perfect but it is a highly entertaining watch that keeps you gripped from beginning to end.

The film is Ridley Scott’s second feature to be released this year following The Last Duel which also starred Adam Driver. Scott’s directions feed into the melodramatic qualities of the story and the result is a film that is extremely camp, gripping, and filled to the brim with twists and turns as each member of the Gucci family has their own roles and motives. The screenplay was written by Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna and was adapted from the novel The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by Sara Gay Forden. The two and a half hour running time is a bit excessive as there are scenes that could have been edited or cut out without compromising the story but what this screenplay does well is show how Patrizia was more than just Maurizio’s wife and delving into her character so we see her side of the story. It is clear that this story has so many moving parts and different elements that bringing every detail in a feature-length film would be impossible but we are treated to a film that has a distinct tonal shift as the comedy-led first act soon takes a downwards spiral into the darker themes as Patrizia and Maurizio’s marriage begins to crack and fall apart.

Leading the incredible ensemble is Lady Gaga in her follow-up to her turn in A Star is Born which saw her nominated for an Academy Award for her performance and winning one for co-writing the song “Shallow” which became a huge hit. There has been a lot of discussion regarding Gaga’s accent in the trailer for House of Gucci with some people commenting that it sounded Russian rather than Italian; however, her accent throughout the film sounds more Italian. What is more important than the accent is the actual performance itself and there is no doubt that Gaga has done extensive research and provided a lot of dedication to become Patrizia. Where it was more difficult to differentiate Gaga from her character, Ally, in A Star is Born, there are points in House of Gucci where you forget that you are watching Gaga as she fully becomes Patrizia. Not only does this show Gaga’s ability to act against type but it shows that she is worthy of garnering the leading lady status that she has and proves her talent as an actress. Her ability to showcase the many sides of Patrizia is impressive, especially since there is a tonal shift in the film. Where Patrizia is initially charming and confident, she becomes desperate and troubled in the second half of the film as she wants to save her marriage and life from falling apart. This performance will undoubtedly bring Gaga a lot of attention during awards season and may see her receive her second Academy Award acting nomination.

Playing Maurizio Gucci is Adam Driver who turns on the charm as the heir to the Gucci Empire. Initially seeming reluctant to join the family business, Maurizio risks being cut off from the family when he falls in love with Patrizia, a woman who doesn’t have the same affluent background. However, as the film shifts into darker territory, we begin to see Maurizio lose his initial sense of self and individuality as he becomes the person he swore he would never be. Driver conveys Maurizio’s shift from aspiring lawyer to manipulative businessman perfectly as it doesn’t happen all of a sudden as he is pushed to carry out various schemes alongside Patrizia in a bid to control the Gucci brand. What is great about Driver is that he is a performer who can say so much without many words and this is important when it comes to Maurizio’s characterisation as he is a lot quieter and more observant than Patrizia.

One of the most conflicting aspects of the film is the supporting performances provided by Jared Leto and Al Pacino who play Paolo and Aldo Gucci, respectively. Paolo and Aldo are often used as comic relief throughout the film, especially aspiring designer Paolo whose fashion taste is questionable as Leto’s portrayal paints Paolo as someone who is completely oblivious while Aldo deals with the finances of the Gucci brand. Leto’s performance, in particular, has garnered a lot of love and hate thanks to its eccentric and over-the-top portrayal which feels brilliant in the context of the film but when taking into consideration the accuracy of the real Paolo Gucci and his life story, it appears as though the film is laughing at him and mocking his misfortune. Leto feeds into the camp and comic aspects of the film thanks to his use of physical comedy that saw him have a complete makeover for the role while Pacino feeds into the darker and dramatic aspects of the film as his version of Aldo fears about losing power and will do anything to hold onto it.

House of Gucci is a film that promises plenty of drama with twists and turns as character alliances shift in a bid to gain control over the family business. In the midst of the drama, it is quite easy to forget that this is based on a true story that had real and tragic consequences which have caused conversation among critics over whether the overall tone is appropriate for the subject matter. Regardless, it is a film that is filled to the brim with fantastic performances, especially from Gaga and Driver, while Yates’ costume design helps to bring the period to life and gives us a visual insight into how the characters express themselves.

What did you think of House of Gucci? Let me know in the comments below!

House of Gucci is out in cinemas now!

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Annette (2021)

One of the big films to come out of this year’s Cannes Film Festival was Annette, the English language debut from French director Leos Carax. Following the relationship between controversial stand-up comedian, Henry McHenry (Adam Driver) and famous soprano, Ann Defrasnoux (Marion Cotillard), Annette is an epic in terms of the various themes it explores as well as the cinematic scope. Running at a staggering 140 minutes, Annette features music written by Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks who cowrote the script alongside Carax and the result is a mind-blowingly wonderful experience that is unlike any film you have ever seen.

Annette sees Carax return to film after 2012’s Holy Motors and is his first English language film. What is fantastic about Carax’s approach to the film is how ironic and aware it is from the opening number all the way to the end. We are informed that we are watching a performance through the medium of performance and it is this layering of dark comedy and contrast that saw Carax win the Best Director award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. On the surface, Annette may seem like a lot in terms of its various genres and themes but Carax handles it with ease and allows the film to develop organically. The script by Carax and Sparks takes us through a variety of different themes with some taking more prominence than others. Arguably, the most important theme observed in the film is celebrity, how distorting fame can be and how a public persona can overwhelm a person’s psyche to the point where reality and fantasy collide. Just in the way Annette plays with different themes, it is Carax’s way of merging musical, drama, romance and dark comedy that makes it exciting and unpredictable to watch.

Adam Driver delivers a career-best performance as Henry McHenry. From the first set that we see, McHenry never allows the audience in to what he is thinking and what his motives are. Driver’s performance is extremely visceral and layered as he fully encompasses McHenry on a physical and emotional level. Immediately grabbing the audience’s attention, McHenry lives for controversy and aspires to have his name in lights while simultaneously denouncing fame in his act. As Ann’s star rises and his wains, we begin to see McHenry’s public persona and his real personality begin to clash as he struggles to regain control of his public life which then filters into his personal life.

Playing Ann Defrasnoux is Oscar winner Marion Cotillard who is breathtaking as the soprano on the rise. Compared to McHenry’s unpredictable and controversial comedian who improvises his set, Defrasnoux is poised and controlled which is shown through her repeated performances that are lauded among critics and the public. Ann is more reserved than Henry and this seems to go in her favour as Henry begins to implode in his career while her career goes from strength to strength. Cotillard brings her best performance in years and again showing what makes her one of the great living actresses. Her turn as Ann is one filled with sorrow and hope simultaneously as she strives to do what is best for Annette and her relationship with Henry but as it begins to fall apart, she realises that there isn’t much that she can do.

Simon Helberg provides a fantastic supporting turn as The Accompanist, Ann’s pianist and aspiring conductor. Helberg is in it briefly throughout the first half but really comes into the film’s main plot in the second half where he is able to bring a beautifully nuanced performance that is full of bittersweet melancholy. His love and affection for Annette is clear as he reluctantly agrees to take care of her while Henry spends all of the money on his party lifestyle. Helberg may not be in a lot of the film’s 140 minute running time but he makes the most of it.

As Annette is a musical then it is important to discuss the music and songs. Written by Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks, the music is a key component in the film in many different ways rather than simply telling the story through song. We learn more about the characters through their style of music and how they sing with the main contrast being Henry’s aggressive rock-fuelled anthems that incorporate his audience and Ann’s operatic performances in which she is observed by the audience as she sings by herself. In a way, the music serves to tell us more about the protagonists and acts as a way to foreshadow in both a literal and figurative sense.

Overall, Annette is a unique film that truly subverts every misconception that comes with the musical genre. As musicals are seeing a resurgence in recent years and many stage shows are being brought to the silver screen, Annette is a shining example of the musical’s place in modern cinema thanks to its originality and complexity. Musicals are often viewed as an accessible art form but it’s the film’s reluctance to let the audience in that makes it such a uniquely challenging and rewarding film to watch. Thoroughly deserving of the praise it is receiving, Annette may not be an easy film to digest but it gives the audience plenty to think about and discuss once the credits have finished rolling and that is the sign of truly great cinema.

What did you think of Annette? Let me know in the comments below!

Annette is available to watch in cinemas now!

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Marriage Story (2019)

Finally got around to watching this one and boy, was it worth the wait. Noah Baumbach’s tale of a couple coping with the struggles and heartbreak of divorce had received a lot attention and more than deserving of the hype. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver play New York based married couple Nicole and Charlie Barber who are pitted against one another by their lawyers when going through their divorce. Directed and written by Baumbach and containing many signature improvised scenes in true Baumbach fashion, he truly has outdone himself with this flick and created a film that is deeply human and resonating on many levels. He does not want the audience to pick sides as each side is justified and wrong in their own ways. Both characters lay out the others’ strengths and weaknesses in the opening monologues, setting the tone for the rest of the film. The film seems more stripped back in direction than Baumbach’s previous endeavours but then this feels like his most personal project and in many respects, the most heartfelt.

Johansson and Driver bring the best performances of their careers to date and both will receive nominations for sure and stand a very good chance at bringing home Oscars. Johansson takes a break from the Marvel franchise and it seems that she revels in being Nicole, an actress who longs to return to her native Los Angeles to make TV shows and films. Nicole is deeply passionate about being an active member of the family unit, particularly when it comes to being a mum to their son, Henry. She plays with him for hours on end and constantly rewards him for completing simple and menial tasks. Driver’s Charlie on the other hand resents rewarding his son for going to the toilet and instead wants to instill maturity and push his son to do his homework and work on his skills. What both parents share is an undying love for their child and the mutual understanding that the divorce outcome must be beneficial to Henry’s needs most of all.

As Nicole’s lawyer Nora, Laura Dern is glamorous, unstoppable and manipulative. She swoops in with compliments for Nicole on their first meeting, decked out in a beautiful outfit and sky high heels that become a signature throughout. She is a hugely intimidating character who begins to create a narrative on behalf of Nicole. In the courtroom scene, Nora refuses to back down and the articulation and intelligence that Dern brings to the role is surely going to bring that overdue Oscar. Dern has always been a reliable actress, wowing time and time again but with Marriage Story, she is able command the control of the scenes that she is in. She is truly mesmerising in her speeches and empowering in her confidence.

There are many scenes in this film that caused me to pause and take in the perfection but the big one has to be Nicole and Charlie’s huge argument as they cannot agree. It’s brutal, real and incredibly improvised. What starts as neutral smalltalk soon turns into a hurtful explosion full of abuse hurled at both sides and Nicole and Charlie both rip into each other for their weaknesses and expose the problems in the marriage that had been bubbling the surface and kept from the audience until this point. This honesty soon makes way for the ridiculous as they begin to insult each other for points and it soon ends with Charlie’s meltdown in which he curse Nicole and hopes she is smited with illness before being run over and wishing she was dead. Immediately, he falls to his knees in defeat as he instantly regrets his words and the two apologise. The exhaustion of the scene radiates off the screen. Before this scene, the tension is clearly brewing but both parties delude themselves and pretend everything is ok and can be relatively normal given the circumstance but here we are presented the reason and the breaking of the foundation.

This film subverts the usual divorce storyline in that the characters do not get back together at the end. This isn’t to say it isn’t a happy ending. In fact, both characters are much happier for it and we see the positive outcome and newfound respect that the protagonists have for each other. The end scene being a breath of fresh air in the aftermath of their court session. It’s a film that you cannot help but feel affected. The realism and authentic approach makes it seem like you are watching a real marriage fall apart. The genius of Baumbach’s writing is that he makes you sympathise with one party then the other and then you end up feeling sorry for both and wanting the best for them. Nicole and Charlie have done bad things during the course of their marriage but that does not make them bad people.

I think that Marriage Story will be a film discussed for many years and has revolutionised filmmaking for streaming culture. The film does not make any attempts to blend in nor does it want to be trendy. Baumbach is simply delivering quality cinema and making it accessible for everyone. There is an audience for it and I think a simple film like Marriage Story is a perfect way to break the ice further in the same way Roma did. I would give this film some major awards, particularly for its writing and acting. It’s a well-rounded film that is truly captivating from start to end. You feel that you truly get to know Charlie and Nicole equally throughout.

What do you think of Marriage Story? Let me know in the comments below!

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Top 5 Andrew Garfield Performances

Andrew Garfield is one of the most exciting millennial actors out there with a huge resume under his belt that boasts film, theatre and television. Since his breakout role in David Fincher’s The Social Network, Garfield’s talents have gone from strength to strength and his career has brought him an Academy Award nomination, two BAFTA nominations and a Tony Award for his performance in the Broadway production of Angels in America. He’s a fearless actor and clearly wants to stretch himself and show off the range he has.

His filmography isn’t as extensive as his television and stage work but this proves the care that he takes in selecting his roles. One his earlier roles that I absolutely adore is The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) which in true Terry Gilliam style is utterly bonkers but Garfield is wonderful as troupe member, Anton. The fact that that performance doesn’t even make the top 5 just shows his skill as an actor.

Without further ado, here are my top 5 Andrew Garfield performances in chronological order:

The Social Network (2010)

The one that gave him his big breakout into the mainstream, Garfield plays Harvard student, Eduardo Saverin a seed investor for Thefacebook, a website created by fellow student and friend, Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg). In this biopic following the founding of the world’s biggest social media platform, we see Garfield in a significant supporting role in which sees him as a crucial part of Facebook’s inception and then ultimately his ownership is reduced and his profit is minimal. Bolstered by a stellar script by Aaron Sorkin and brilliant direction by Fincher, the part of Saverin is already a meaty role but Garfield goes the extra mile and makes the most of his limited screen time. Even when he is not on the screen, his impact is felt throughout the film. It shows that even at the early stages of his film career, Garfield is looking for risky roles. Not to mention the perfect delivery of the line: Sorry! My Prada’s at the cleaners! Along with my hoodie and my ‘fuck you’ flip-flops, you pretentious douchebag!

Never Let Me Go (2010)

Based on the novel of the same name by Nobel prize winner Kazao Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go is a nostalgic dystopic story about unknowing clones who are raised and brought up to be harvested for their organs. Following the three protagonists Kathy H (Carey Mulligan), Ruth C (Keira Knightley) and Tommy D (Garfield) who are three donors. We watch their journey from their innocent childhood to fully aware adults and the deterioration of their friendships and their lives as they are forced to donate their organs and start dying in the process. Garfield holds his own against this starry cast which also features Charlotte Rampling and Sally Hawkins to name a few. Tommy D is such a complex character as he begins to express his feelings through art in the hope that this will save him and Kathy H. At the start of the film, Tommy is an angry young boy who doesn’t know where to project his frustration but the adult Tommy is more restrained. You can see the tension bubbling to the service with Garfield’s performance and the climactic scene in which he breaks down is heart-breaking to watch. Watching the desperation as Tommy accumulates years and years of art in which his love is expressed and ultimately rejected makes for one of the best performances of the year that was sadly overlooked.

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99 Homes (2014)

Now for my favourite Garfield performance. Fresh off the back from starring as Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man and it’s subsequent sequel, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Garfield would be starring in blockbuster after blockbuster. However, he not only starred but also co-produced his next film 99 Homes, an indie following construction worker, Dennis Nash (Garfield) and his struggle to keep a job which leads to his family being evicted from their home. The eviction is led by the ruthless Rick Carver (Michael Shannon) who Nash starts to work for and begins to be led down a rabbit hole of corruption and deceit. It shows the desperation to survive in a failing climate and what people will do in the pursuit of security. Nash commits awful criminal and moral activities but we don’t judge him for it because we know the background behind this and the intentions. When Dennis is forced to carry out an eviction, his reaction is the complete opposite to Rick’s emotionless demeanor. Whereas Shannon thrives portraying impenetrable characters, Garfield’s characters always wear their heart on their sleeve and none more so than Dennis Nash. Shannon definitely dominates the film as a whole and also provides one of his own career bests but Garfield’s performance should not be overlooked because of this. Seeing him play a young, struggling father who is also tasked with taking care of his mother (Laura Dern) demonstrates his range and versatility.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

The biggest performance of his career so far and one that cemented him as a reliable leading man, Garfield leads this biopic about Desmond Doss, a pacifist soldier who acts as a doctor during the Battle of Okinawa at Hacksaw Ridge. Doss refuses to engage in any violent act and even goes into battle without a weapon to protect himself. He was renowned for savings the lives of countless soldiers on both sides. The film itself was a bit overrated as a whole in my opinion (it felt like an imitation of Full Metal Jacket in the first half and is overall an oddly paced film) but Garfield shines in the lead role. There are some unbelievably brilliant scenes such as the climb up the Ridge when the soldiers realise that the rope ladders is soaked with blood. The film is definitely worth a watch just for Garfield’s performance alone and was well worth the Oscar nomination it received. The film was met with controversy thanks to Mel Gibson’s involvement as director and his subsequent awards attention. In my opinion, however, I find his direction a bit too indulgent in this film and not one of the highlights. This is a film that Garfield alone elevates, telling the story of a peacemaker’s experience in the eye of a bloody war.

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Silence (2016)

2016 was unarguably a brilliant year for Garfield. His second feature of the year sees him working with Martin Scorsese in an adaptation of Silence as Father Sebastião Rodrigues, a Portuguese priest who ventures to Edo era Japan to seek out fellow priest Cristóvão Ferreira (Liam Neeson). The film is set during the Shimabara Rebellion that sees Christianity outlawed and anyone who refuses to denounce Christ tortured or killed. Accompanied by Father Francisco Garupe (Adam Driver), Sebastião’s faith is tried and tested throughout as this 3 hour epic follows the trials and tribulations of a suppressed community in a land where they are outsiders. The film is a slow burner but it is a deeply layered film with rewardingly textured performances. Both 2016 films see Garfield play devout Christians in war-torn Japan at different eras but the performances couldn’t be further apart. The psychological effects of torture that Sebastião is forced to endure is shown perfectly by Garfield. We feel Sebastião’s inner turmoil as his reluctance to denounce Christ harms not only himself but others around him.

It’s exciting to see an actor unafraid to showcase a diverse range in a multitude of mediums. He has achieved a lot in a relatively short amount of time and it’s exciting to see what projects he takes on next.

Which Andrew Garfield performance is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!