House of Gucci

I am a huge fan of Adam Driver and, out of all of his movies scheduled for release this year, I was most excited for House of Gucci.  I knew before I even saw a trailer that I would love it (I read the book upon which it is based by Sara Gay Forden when production began) because there is no possible way that I wouldn't love a movie dealing with love, greed, betrayal, and revenge starring my favorite actor and Lady Gaga!  I saw it last night and, while there are quite a few issues, I found it to be wildly entertaining!  Maurizio Gucci (Driver) is a shy and unassuming law student but he is also the scion of the wealthy Gucci family known for their successful fashion label.  Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) is from much humbler beginnings and is dazzled by Maurizio's wealth after meeting him at a party.  She pursues him relentlessly and he eventually falls in love and marries her.  His father Rodolfo (Jeremy Irons), who runs Gucci with his brother Aldo (Al Pacino), disowns Maurizio for his unsuitable marriage which forces him to work for Patrizia's father.  Patrizia is ambitious and is not content with this lifestyle so she reaches out to Aldo, who thinks Maurizio has more potential than his own son Paolo (Jared Leto).  Even though he is initially not very interested in the business, Maurizio accepts a position with Aldo in New York at Patrizia's urging.  Eventually, Patrizia pushes Maurizio to betray Aldo and Paolo in order to oust them from Gucci but he soon grows tired of her interference and takes charge of the company himself.  He also makes changes in his personal life with a childhood friend (Camille Cottin) which brings tragic consequences.  The story is quite convoluted, especially the scenes dealing with the business side of Gucci, and it is much too long (I think 20 minutes could have easily been cut).  There are problems with the pacing and I sometimes found my mind wandering, particularly during scenes not featuring Patrizia or Maurizio.  There are some strange tonal shifts between camp and drama and many of the music choices seem very odd (although I actually really liked the version of "Baby Can I Hold You" by Tracy Chapman and Luciano Pavarotti used during the trial scene despite the fact that it is a bizarre song to use at this moment because Patrizia is completely unrepentant).  Having said all of that, I absolutely loved the performances even though they contribute to the problems with tone.  Leto, who is completely unrecognizable, chews up the scenery with abandon while Lady Gaga is so much fun to watch in an over-the-top portrayal of a woman scorned.  Driver, on the other hand, gives an incredibly nuanced performance filled with subtle gestures that brilliantly show Maurizio's character arc from someone easily manipulated by everyone in his life to someone who ruthlessly takes charge (I think it is one of his best).  It almost seems as if each of them are in a different movie but I blame Ridley Scott's direction for this rather than the actors.  This movie reminded me a lot of the prime time soap operas, such as Dallas, Dynasty, and Knots Landing, that I enjoyed watching for escapist fun as a teenager because it features a bombastic plot, glamorous settings, opulent production design, and gorgeous costumes.  I can not objectively say that this is a great movie but I loved it if for no other reason than I got to see Adam Driver smile while wearing one well-tailored suit after another for almost three hours!