First reactions for Ridley Scott’s star-studded murder drama “House of Gucci” are trickling in following the movie’s official world premiere in London. The film is Scott’s second major release of 2021 following “The Last Duel,” which launched to strong reviews out of the Venice Film Festival but flopped at the box office. Will “House of Gucci” be a rebound for Scott? Based on the first reactions below, it appears the director has made a messy and soapy fashion epic that’s bound to be one of the buzziest films of the holiday movie season.
Written by Roberto Bentivegna and based on the Sarah Gay Gorden book “The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed,” Scott’s film casts Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, who was convicted of orchestrating the assassination of her ex-husband and former head of the Gucci fashion house, Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver). Reggiani served 16 years in prison for the crime. The ensemble cast also includes Al Pacino as Aldo Gucci, Jared Leto as Paolo Gucci, Jeremy Irons as Rodolfo Gucci, and Camille Cottin as Paola Franchi, plus Jack Huston, Salma Hayek, and Reeve Carney.
For her part in the film, Gaga went full Method actor. As the “A Star Is Born” Oscar winner told British Vogue earlier this month, “It is three years since I started working on it, and I will be fully honest and transparent: I lived as her [Reggiani] for a year and a half. And I spoke with an accent for nine months of that. Off camera, [too]. I never broke. I stayed with her.”
“House of Gucci” is scheduled for a theatrical release on November 24 via United Artists Releasing (the distribution arm of MGM). Check out a handful of first reactions to Scott’s latest in the posts below.
House of Gucci is very good, Jared Leto was born to play iconic fashion designer Fredo Waluigi Gucci, and — sorry if this is a spoiler — but at one point Lady Gaga says “it’s time to take out the trash.” pic.twitter.com/jvClvMZibN
— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) November 9, 2021
#HouseofGucci is a crowdpleaser that critics will not support. At the Academy Museum screening last week, SAG actors showed support for the film’s most egregious scene-chewers, Lady Gaga and Jared Leto, who may squeak into SAG or Oscar race, but could have used the Golden Globes.
— Anne Thompson (@akstanwyck) November 9, 2021
GUCCI! #HouseOfGucci has a definite GODFATHER vibe, rich w/ family betrayal, transformative performances, lots of backstabbing & it’s definitely more serious than it is campy. Lady Gaga is incredible, as is Jared Leto, and the story is WILD! The attention to detail is impeccable pic.twitter.com/BphR07VLP5
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) November 9, 2021
#HouseofGucci is an overwrought slog without any discernible direction. Too many narrative focuses stacked on top of one another. Glitzy talented names hamming it up in wealth porn can be fun, but not enough to save the movie from its own messiness
— Brandon Katz (@Great_Katzby) November 9, 2021
FATHER, SON & THE @HouseOfGucciMov is FANTASTICO! @ladygaga gives more than a performance- she opens a portal..it’s mesmerizing! Talk about a ‘marriage story’ LG & #AdamDriver r an EPIC duo! @JaredLeto will & should win the Oscar. Will see it 100X. Juicy GOOCHINESS! #HouseOfGucci pic.twitter.com/v9B1KIbfdh
— Nikki Novak (@NikkiNovak) November 9, 2021
#HouseOfGucci is quite the animal. Campy, everything Ridley Scott wanted “The Counselor” to be but wasn’t able to. Will be divided by many. Lady Gaga eats every morsel of her role up. Instantly the most quotable/meme-able movie since “Borat.” Jared Leto best since his Oscar win. pic.twitter.com/xh8nFrDXmC
— Clayton Davis (@ByClaytonDavis) November 9, 2021
Is #HouseOfGucci a “good” movie? In many ways it’s a mess, but the costumes and the camp accents (“GOOTCH-eeee”) and the pure bonkers Ridley Scott melodrama of it all still felt like a balm for my weary sweatpants soul
— Leah Greenblatt (@Leahbats) November 9, 2021
Yes, @ladygaga is a revelation as Patrizia. She is a tour-de-force and a powerhouse. I loved it #HouseOfGucci
— Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt) November 9, 2021
I loved #HouseofGucci, mainly because Lady Gaga, Adam Driver and Jared Leto are SO GOOD. About 30 mins too long but still had a great time. And can’t wait for the countless memes to start surfacing
— Beatrice Verhoeven (@bverhoev) November 9, 2021
House of Gucci is a bloated & uneven mess that feels like two different movies rolled in one. Every single cast member acts as though they are in a different movie except for Al Pacino, who seems to have understood the assignment and serves as the film’s MVP. #HouseofGucci pic.twitter.com/Y5NvVkNvqI
— Scott Menzel (@ScottDMenzel) November 9, 2021
Sad to report House of Gucci is not good. At times you wonder if it’s Ridley’s first pass at an edit. More disappointing? Lady Gaga is bad. Not even CAMP good. There are moments when she’s simply dead behind the eyes. Reminded of Madonna in Body of Evidence. (1) pic.twitter.com/7Qz9dMPvsO
— Gregory Ellwood – The Playlist 🎬 (@TheGregoryE) November 9, 2021
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