Directed by Ridley Scott, “House of Gucci” boasts a story based on true events that incorporates fashion, romance, ambition, power, betrayal and an all-star cast. As one of the most highly anticipated dramas of the year rolls out on the big screen, moviegoers can now place the context of the film’s most talked-about line, “Father, Son, and House of Gucci.”
The film starts in 1978 as we are introduced to Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), a middle-class woman working for her father’s trucking company in Milan. While attending a party, Patrizia meets Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver), a law student and descendant of the Gucci family empire. When Maurizio introduces Patrizia to his father, Rodolfo Gucci (Jeremy Irons), who owns half the shares of the fashion brand, drama of the most intense kind ensues. Of course Rodolfo disapproves of the relationship, believing Patrizia is after his son’s fortune. Love prevails, however, and Maurizio and Patrizia marry, setting the stage for every kind of power struggle as Patrizia’s ambition grows.
For a film that focuses on one of the largest fashion houses, it’s no surprise that the wardrobe and costuming are superb. Every scene shows a level of detail completely unmatched in other films and every actor is dressed to the nines. From the wedding scene to the funeral, and even scenes that took place outside at a ski resort, every shot screams fashion.
In spite of the upper class look and the intense emotions of the film, audience members laughed out loud in the theater, perhaps due to the level of campiness some of the actors portrayed. Putting audience members less on their toes and in a more relaxed state is an interesting contrast to what many expected after seeing the trailers.
Overall, “House of Gucci” is top-notch and lives up to what many moviegoers would expect from a film of this caliber. The only downsides might be its slower pacing and an unsure feeling of who to sympathize with at the end of the film. Despite these minor drawbacks, “House of Gucci” is a film worthy of watching in theaters.
