You know what I love? Fascinating stories about terrible rich people doing awful things among gorgeous scenery. Like, there are easily twenty amazing stories just about terrible rich Italians which could be made into fantastic movies. Finally, that’s starting to happen. Ridley Scott has directed House of Gucci, based on the true story of Patrizia Reggiani and Maurizio Gucci. Maurizio Gucci was, at one point, the head of Gucci. By 1995, his lavish spending had been catching up to him for years, he kept selling off parts of the Gucci empire and he was ready to marry his mistress. And then his ex-wife Patrizia orchestrated a hit on him.
The film has Lady Gaga as Patrizia and Adam Driver as Maurizio. The film also includes Salma Hayek (as a crazy psychic), Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons (as Maurizio’s father), Jared Leto (as Paolo Gucci) and Jack Huston. The film is apparently just as much about the business of an inherited fashion house as it is about murder and lavish spending. Here’s the first trailer:
If you’re like me, you’re thinking “wait, he was murdered in 1995, that’s not the ’80s.” The film obviously goes into the backstory of the marriage and the Gucci empire, at least throughout the 1980s. That’s why they’re leaning in hard to that vibe and aesthetic. As for the accent work and the Italian drama… I love it? I think Gaga sounds okay here, but I’m willing to hear other opinions from Italians! Adam Driver looks *very* good as this sleazy kind of guy.
Earlier in the day, they released the character posters, and there’s a lot of makeup and prosthetics and interesting styling. Gaga looks flat-out fantastic with the dark wig, strong makeup and Italian-widow styling – we knew that already, from the set photos and the trailer. Adam Driver looks like Adam Driver in bad glasses, although I never realized his hair is so pretty. Jeremy Irons can play a sleazy, eccentric pan-European character with a tiny mustache in his sleep. Mutton-chop Pacino is interesting, but the poster everyone is talking about is Jared Leto’s. Yeah, it doesn’t look anything like him. Yeah, he’s doing another big “transformation” to play a character. Blah. All I’ll say is what I always say: if you’re going to hire some traditionally handsome actor to put on a mountain of prosthetics (and what looks like padding), maybe you should just hire a different actor. Like, Paul Giamatti is available. Giamatti probably would have had a ball playing this character. You would not even need to put him in ten hours of prosthetics and makeup.
Posters courtesy of ‘The House of Gucci’/United Artists.
Looks gloriously campy!
The fake accents are embarrassing. Why do they insist on putting on fake (and laughable) accents in the movies that take place in other countries? Italians don’t speak English with an “Italian” accent among their own. Just have them speak English without spunding like caricatures.
This is something that bothers me about accents in movies like this. You’re already having them speak English in settings where they would probably speak Italian (ie when they’re surrounded by their Italian family). Why do we need the bad accents to go along with it? Just speak your own English with no accent.
It’s because Hollywood thinks anybody with white skin can pass for Italian. It’s insulting and racist to think that Italian actors aren’t talented enough to play Italians. Sure the movie looks campy and fun, but they could’ve at least cast Italian-Americans (besides Gaga, whom I love, and Pacino, who is awful in everything). Jeremy Irons, so over-exposed!! That’s the worst for me. And then there’s Jared, aged, in a fat suit.
This is a good analysis:
“Leto’s appearance is only one of many problematic creative decisions. Of the six main characters highlighted in the trailer — Patrizia Reggiani, Maurizio Gucci, Paolo Gucci, Rodolfo Gucci, Aldo Gucci and Giuseppina “Pina” Auriemma — only two are played by actors of Italian descent. (Lady Gaga and Al Pacino are both Italian-American, but none of the main cast are Italians who grew up in Italy.) As you might imagine, that leaves us with a bunch of goofy stereotypical accents that sound closer to “It’s-a me, Mario” than the way any of these real-life people actually spoke. You’re telling me there were no actual Italian actors available to play these parts?
https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/movies/jared-leto-house-gucci
The accent thing is ridiculous. Why put those strange accents in a movie in English only because it is supposed to be set in Italy. That trend of imitating a foreigner by speaking in funny accents does not make sense. However, I got to roll my eyes at the why not italians are cast in the movie. Hollywood production, it always is a draw to have movie stars, and most ppl in this film either have or were nominated for biggest Hollywood awards. I guess this is a separate genre, casting well known actors in well known/celebrity stories (Holsen comes to mind here or American Crime Story, for that matter) and that usually helps selling the film. By casting all these people and placing them in this kind of theatre they pretty much did everything they need selling the movie.
Omg, yes, agree so-o much!
@Snuffles…Yes and Heart of Glass successfully sucked me in.
The camp? The overzealous accent work? I already love this 10x more than “A Star is Born”!
Hard agree, @Marty. I recognize the parts of it that are bad, but I think that’s why I might end up loving this!
I WILL be seeing this – nothing makes a good story like real life drama.
Oh yes. This is speaking to me lol.
Me, three! Looks absolumente fabuloso!! (Question: Is trailer music Blondie original version of Heart of Glass, or Lady Gaga remake for film?)
And that’s why I’m here!
I think it looks interesting, I’ll probably watch. But yeah I don’t get the Leto casting. Why not just hire someone the right age instead of going through so much work to age him?
Oscar bait!
He’s the deterrent for me for this, it looks like campy fun, but I can’t stand him.
wow interesting, look forward to watching this. on a side note, two of my favorite italian movies are ‘i am love’ and ‘a bigger splash’.
The centaur is in it! That is the frosting on this cupcake.
I can’t wait to see it!
Big hair and unnecessary fake Italian accents? This is just my cup of tea, of course I’ll watch it.
No. No I will not give this my money.
Patricia is gonna find a way to make money and interloper into the premier (I bet you she is gonna get a producer credit to keep her mouth shut during awards season for this mess) as a convicted murderer.
I’m tired of this crap.
I still haven’t given Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. 20 bucks?! Um, no. As for this, I’ll wait until it’s cheaper to stream. It does look nice and campy. I like all the actors – as actors! 😉
As for the other film, I’m dying to see the locations and sets of the 70’s (my young adult era growing up in SoCal) but not enough to pay 20 bucks.
I also grew up in LA I the 70’s and have seen OUATIH several times because the nostalgia factor is perfection. Wilshire BLVD -NAILED! You will love it (I hope).
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is really great. I definitely recommend it.
I think the price came down by 5 bucks. I may spring. Thanks Trillion and Case.
Gaga looks amazing.
I’m so excited to see her in another movie. Looks like her acting is going to be brilliant here.
Oh this looks so campy and cheesy and fabulous. I’m going to watch it. I’m another one who doesnt get the Leto casting, but the rest looks fantastic.
Here in Italy we’re laughing about their accents
As you should…they are so bad lol
Gaga’s accent sounds Russian to me… 🤔
This is the film we deserve after the pandemic: Fashion, filthy rich people, intrigue and a stupid murder plot. I might actually get off my ass and go to a cinema again.
My thoughts EXACTLY!!! Yes please, holy hot mess (in the best way).
I’ve just messaged my best friend to say we need to do a watch party for this. Not sure when it’s out in the UK and whether I’ll be ready for the cinema by then but I can’t wait to see it.
I did watch the whole trailer wondering when Jared Leto would appear. That casting makes no sense, hire someone who looks vaguely like the character!
“The Serpent”, produced by the BBC, was a glamorous murder biopic played by non celebs. Serpent’s actors sets, music, location & fab 70s/80s – all time traveled us away from the pandemic. One can’t love the authentic Serpent and have ANY appetite for high fructose corn syrup of the same genre- The House of Gucci.
Waiting for the moment Hollywood realizes putting on a fatsuit, prosthetics and 40lbs or special fx makeup isn’t acting.
Why cast Leto if you could cast an actor who looks closer to the person he’s supposed to portray?
Dark brown hair really does look good on Lady Gaga. In the beginning of her career I think I remember reading that she went blonde because with her natural hair color she looks like Amy Winehouse.
Agreed. Gaga is gorgeous in this. I have wanted her to go back to more natural color (like here) and show off her amazing bone structure!
That last line in the trailer just pulled me in. Sign me up for this campy mess lol!
This looks awesome and so fun! Not a fan of the Leto casting, but everyone else will be great.
I’m also just really looking forward to a press tour/award season feat. Lady Gaga and Adam Driver just because I can’t think of two celebrities more opposite in how they enjoy fame and attention LOL.
I can’t wait to see this movie, it looks good.
More ‘leaning in’ to Italian-widow styling for Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta?
Yes, please
Gaga looks fantastic, but mama mia, her Italian accent is bad. I expect better from an Italian-American! Someone on another blog said something like, “Why is Gaga playing an Italian with a Russian accent?”
I think all these actors would’ve been better off without the accent. You can tell the story without the accents if they’re going to be distracting, and it doesn’t make anyone less talented as actors if they have difficulty with that.
To my ear everyone but Jared Leto seemed pretty good with their accent in the trailer, but I don’t know how well it will be sustained throughout a full-length film.
Yes! I thought I was the only one that thought the accent sounded a bit Russian.
I thought Russian too!
I said to my husband this morning that her accent sounds a LOT like, specifically, the Armenian accent I had to do in high school theater.
I have zero desire to see this but when it’s rerun on cable all the time in about 5 years maybe I’ll give it a shot. I can’t get into Gaga as an actress. All I hear and see is Gaga acting. Plus I’m not over Gaga working with R Kelly and making that gross rape music video. Too much Gaga distraction to enjoy anything she is in.
Also, they totally should have cast Paul Giamatte. Or some other mediocre skinny white guy to slap on prosthetics. Why must it always be freaking Leto? He is so over rated but he keeps getting cast.
++!
#houseofguccilifetimemovie
I’m in!
Wasn’t Angelina Jolie attached to this movie like over a decade ago? If I remember correctly, Jolie was Ridley Scott’s first choice to play Patrizia Reggiani.
I didn’t even recognize Al Pacino, lol. I love him, but not even he could make me watch this mess… not right away, at least.
Gaga looks like Kate Bush.
Love the Blondie music! Perfect. Gaga does sound surprisingly Russian! Leto, why? Paul Giamatto would have been spot on.
And yes I will see this delicious mess! (Sooner or later.)
I will watch this hot mess
Honestly, this looks campy as hell and I’m here for it.
I…I..I think I’ll watch this.
I hate the “In Theaters Only” thing everyone except Disney is doing (especially re: Ghostbusters Afterlife). I realize that’s how it’s always been, and of course everyone wants to “get back to normal,” but I think a lot of immunocompromised and higher-risk people are going to be anxious about indoor gatherings for a long time.
My husband watched the trailer with me. He said he thinks Ridley Scott is too self-serious to execute the tone correctly. I, however, was delighted by it; I thought it looked a lot like Behind the Candelabra.
I’ve watched the trailer multiple times. I’m really digging the visual style and drama of it all (music, costumes, accents, vulgar displays of wealth). It looks like tons of fun.
I think that Salma Hayek is a good choice seeing that her husband is head of Gucci now.
If only she was Italian. Being brunette isn’t enough. God.
Nope
Is Gaga’s look what Kate was going for at Philip’s funeral?
I’m impressed at Ridley Scott who is 84 and directed two big theatrical movies this year. That would be impressive for anyone at any age. There’s this one which looks like something I’d watch and the Last Duel where everyone is supposed to be French but seem to be aping Jodie Comer’s Brit accent, at least somewhat from what I can tell from the trailer. Can you imagine if they all did French accents though? Then I’d watch it.
Gaga can’t act to save her life, why is everyone pretending that she can is beyond me. The trailer caused me second-hand embarrassment. What a cringefest.
No interest in this at all.
No interest in the Halston Netflix either.
I did watch the Versace/Cunanan series on Netflix.
The lead actor, Darren Criss, (is that correct?) was very good.
Judith Light was great in it too.
I read Vanity Fair so the subject/plot to all these are familiar to me.
But I did follow Versace fashion and loved it!
Bring back the ’80’s!!