Counter Culture

Director
Ridley Scott
Writers
Becky Johnston (screenplay by) Roberto Bentivegna (screenplay by) Sara Gay Forden (based on the book by)
Stars: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayek, Jared Leto

House of Gucci is a difficult film to categorise. That’s led to some criticism. It’s a straightforward enough tale which centres on the love affair between Maurizio (Adam Driver) and Patrizia (Lady Gaga). Patrizia is the daughter of the owner of a truck company and Maurizio is an heir to the Gucci fashion dynasty. Maurizio’s father, Rodolfo (Jeremy Irons) doesn’t like Patrizia. He is a snob who reacts to the marriage of the two lovers by cutting them off. His uncle, Aldo (Al Pacino) sees potential in Patrizia and includes her.

The film chronicles the feuds, back stabbing, plotting and even murder in this high drama but at times it switches to comedy. This is particularly true when Aldo’s son Paolo is on screen (an incredible performance from Jared Leto). I laughed outloud at some of the scenes with Paolo. His strange fashion designs and interactions with the rest of the family were hilarious. I didn’t have a problem with the film switching between that and darker content.

Perhaps this is a perverse view but at the end I couldn’t help but think that had they listened to the streetwise and savvy Patrizia the Gucci’s might have fared better!

House of Gucci is an enjoyable and very watchable film with a great ensemble cast. The interactions between different cast members is fascinating to watch – Irons and Pacino, Salma Hayek (as the Psychic Pina Auriemma) and Gaga and Gaga and Driver to list just a few of the combinations. Keep an open mind and you will enjoy it.

Reviewed by Pat Harrington