House of Gucci

Starring: Lady Gaga; Adam Driver; Jared Leto; Jeremy Irons; Salma Hayek; Al Pacino

Director: Ridley Scott

Plot: 8/10

The plot in House of Gucci is based on the true story of the Gucci family. We are introduced to the young Gucci heir, Maurizio Gucci, who falls in love with a middle-class woman, Patrizia Reggiani. Once the two wed, Patrizia forces Maurizio back into his family’s fashion empire and tries to expand it. This ultimately tears apart the Gucci family: leaving some in jail, some booted from the family business, and one killed. This story is shocking and I was surprised that I was never aware of the dark history of the biggest brands in fashion.

Acting: 7/10

I might still be having some growing pains seeing Lady Gaga on the big screen, but overall I think she played an excellent villain in the film. My only critique of her would be her accent, which sounded more Russian than Italian. Adam Driver does a great job playing the sheepish man that Maurizio is, but I too found his accent to cut out at times. Jared Leto was hilarious playing the runt of the Gucci family that gets deceived by Patrizia. His dedication to the look and weight change necessary for the role makes me feel both impressed and concerned. Salma Hayek plays a crazy fortune teller with dark connections, and I could never say anything bad about Al Pacino, mostly out of fear his army of fans.

Costumes: 9.5/10

Spectacular costumes were a must for a movie like this. Costume designer, Janty Yates, used authentic Gucci pieces, an array of ’80s accessories, and runway-ready outfits. In House of Gucci, the character Paolo Gucci, played by Jared Leto, designs his next vision for Gucci and hosts a runway show featuring tons of eccentric outfits. For these scenes, the costume designers made the outfits from scratch based on the ideas they thought Paolo may have had.

Sets: 9/10

The sets became more and more glamourous as it follows Patrizia’s greed towards expanding the Gucci empire. In the beginning, we are introduced to Patrizia’s father’s office, a single-story trailer surrounded by dusty buses. After Patrizia marries Maurizio, she forces her husband back to his family’s cut-throat business after she sees the luxury they live in. After that moment, the sets are only glamorous and the family is depicted in many penthouse apartments, chateaus, and mansions across the world.

Aesthetic: 7/10

The entire movie has a dark undertone as we are unsure of every characters’ intentions. The stakes grow higher as deceit comes into the picture. There is a cheating scandal, tax evasion, and hitmen hired. If that mafia-esque aesthetic is your style, I’m sure you’ll find comfort in House of Gucci.

Music: 6/10

The music in House of Gucci is a culmination of Italian classics, operatic pieces, and retro club music. The soundtrack is not something I see myself downloading since it is mainly unmemorable, but it fit the ’80s era and the location of Milan.

Overall: 7.5/10 (Paige Approved)

I was positively surprised with House of Gucci! The trailer truly does not do it enough justice. Prior to the film, I always imagined the Gucci family to just be well-dressed Italians, but this movie revealed a complex hidden story. You know a movie is good when it states real facts about what happens past the movie. One of those facts was how no Gucci member has any ownership over the company. This stands as advice to you viewers to not let wealth ruin a family you think is worth preserving.

A Fair Warning

I’m always looking for my viewers’ best interest and in order to do that I’ll give you all a heads up that there is an explicit scene between Lady Gaga and Adam Driver. A dear fried of mine had to persevere that scene beside her mother, and for that she is a true soldier. That dear friend is me.