Ridley Scott’s feature film with Lady Gaga and Adam Driver unfortunately takes on the air of soap opera.
The first hour of The Gucci saga fascinates. The screenplay by Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna as well as the cameras by Ridley Scott transport us to Milan in 1978. There, Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) and Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver, excellent) fall in love with each other despite the opposition of Rodolfo Gucci (Jeremy Irons, formidable as always), the father of Maurizio.
But the couple did not care and got married without the paternal blessing. Ambition, pushiness, desire to integrate into the family? We’ll never really know, but Patrizia begins to interfere in the affairs of the House of Gucci in order to propel Maurizio to his top by ousting Aldo (Al Pacino, equal to himself), Rodolfo’s brother, and Paolo (Jared Leto), his son, thus setting in motion a series of events that would lead to the fall of the fashion house. And which will result in the murder, which she will order, of her husband.
Lady Gaga’s performance can be summed up in one word: impressive despite an unconvincing Italian accent. The singer and now actress dominates every scene, infusing it with an energy – even a rage – to which it is impossible not to succumb. But this rhythm cannot last long, despite a catchy soundtrack.
After the first hour, The Gucci saga lasts 157 minutes, the scenario runs out of steam and the thunderous staging, with a lot of costumes, props and flamboyant sets, follows. Because, after the birth of Alessandra Gucci, the daughter of Mauricio and Patrizia, the latter multiplies the shenanigans and the script the unflattering shortcuts (Maurizio agreeing to go to New York only because of a sexual indulgence of his wife or Paolo pricking the fits of a spoiled child).
We will also blame the tendency of Jared Leto and Lady Gaga to push their characters so much that they become caricatures. Jared Leto thus gives Paolo airs of idiot, forgetting that the man was nevertheless principal designer of Gucci and vice-president of the company. In addition to her sometimes too melodramatic playing, Lady Gaga does not seem to master her Italian accent which, not only changes from one time to another, but does not resemble any of that of her co-stars (especially with that of Salma Hayek who, on feel it, make commendable efforts).
That said, we forgive these mistakes, a Ridley Scott film, even clumsy, being a pleasure. For a higher quality, we will go on the other hand towards The last duel, his previous feature film, released last October.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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