(2nd December 2021)
As Lady Gaga’s voice purrs over palatial abodes and Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams belts out to dramatic images of shouting and spoon-tapping, House of Gucci’s trailers suggest melodrama that is largely absent in the film’s wider narrative. Scott begins with Patrizia’s courtship as she pursues the bookish Gucci through a night club and library, coyly drawing a heart on his motorbike visor before he drives away. Despite protests about his bride-to-be from unimpressed father Rodolfo (a morose Jeremy Irons), Maurizio separates himself from his family and his inheritance and marries the woman of his dreams. Holy wedding chords are heard during the couple’s first impromptu moments of intimacy, while the actual lavish nuptial takes place to the tune of the sounds of anarchic rock; subversive music already forebodes the relationship’s ill-fated destiny.
Scott’s second feature of 2021 (and one which has languished in development hell since Scott acquired the rights over 15 years ago) takes its time to reach Maurizio’s assassination, instead focusing on the in-fighting between family members as Patrizia pulls relatives apart and fosters her husband’s ambition a la Lady Macbeth. It’s here that some cracks start showing when we’re introduced to Maurizio’s uncle Aldo (Al Pacino), who Patrizia coerces to bring her husband back into the folds of the family. As with The Last Duel, few of the ‘accents’ provide a great amount of convincing realism, apart from Lady Gaga’s. This doesn’t detract from the narrative, but often provides moments of unintentional comedy and frustration with House of Gucci’s weaker performances. Pacino arrives as if from another film, with his boisterous, thinly veiled Italian exclamations more reminiscent of the ‘hoo-ahs’ and ‘whattya gots’ of his all-American characters from Scent of a Womenand Heat. When he embraces hapless son Paolo after learning he has sold all his Gucci shares, their embrace feels like a melodramatic recreation of Michael and Fredo Corleone’s confrontation in Godfather Part II. The film certainly isn’t coy about its influences from Coppola’s films with its grand tale of family struggles, especially in a scene-stealing moment near the end of the film where Patrizia, after hearing the news of her husband’s death, coldly closes the door in the face of Maurizio’s lover Paola (Camille Cottin).
It is Leto, however, who wins the grand prize for overacting. Whether he’s getting knocked to the floor, pissing defiantly on a Gucci scarf or fighting in a fencing suit, Leto does everything within his power to make the viewer aware of his presence. With dramatic inflections so high they would surpass the likes of Super Mario, Leto’s performance is entirely at odds with those around him, and even Pacino’s boisterous hyperbole pales in comparison. If he were to suddenly jump into the air and the audience happened to hear the sound of a pinging coin, it wouldn’t be a big surprise. Much has already been made of Leto’s prosthetics work, which, while fulfilling the job of making the actor virtually unrecognisable, isn’t a reason to garner praise and admiration. Charlise Theron received a well-deserved Best Actress win for her performance in Patty Jenkins’ 2003 film Monster, and was similarly obscured behind the power of make-up. But Theron won on the merit of her performance rather than appearance alone. Hopefully Leto’s eccentric theatrics aren’t mistaken for acting talent at any upcoming award ceremonies.When we reach Maurizio’s murder, the moment is suitably underplayed as he cycles nonchalantly to his office, with no dramatic music to accompany his demise when he is shot by the assassin three times. In his interpretation of the figure, Driver noted during an interview with Cinema Blend how it is ‘only when he’s beyond the business is he really the most relaxed, is he really the most himself’. No great exclamations are uttered by Driver as he falls to the ground, with his expressive, speechless face, as in the rest of the film, telling the audience all they need to know.