Director: Ridley Scott

Story By: Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna

Cast: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jared Leto, Salma Hayek, Jack Huston, & Jeremy Irons

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This was a juicy ass story that I wasn’t even expecting… Just, wow. Personally, THIS is the reason for a biographical story. 

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Below are my grades for key components in #HouseOfGucci that I find to be key in any story/film/series—Theme, Plot, Pacing, and Character (pertaining to arc/development &/or delivery). FYI: My A=95, A- =90, B=85, B-=80…etc. My D- =60 and my F=50

Additionally, I have added an entertainment factor scale to help you determine whether or not the film is something you’d be interested in taking time out of your weekend, evening, or day to watch. The scale range consists of: Worth the Watch/$$$, Interesting Enough (if looking for something new to start, OR experience is intentionally relevant to the genre and executed well–nothing more), Wait for Streaming, Don’t Rush, & Don’t Watch.

I have also added a few non-spoiling thoughts, wonderings, and comments as I watched the film to help give some rationale for my grades and entertainment scale.

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Theme: A-

Plot & Story: A

Pacing: A

Character: B

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Entertainment Factors

General Public: Worth the Watch/$$

Film Enthusiasts: Worth the Watch/$$

Experience Seekers (via Visuals & Score): Don’t Watch

Biographical Drama Fans: Worth the Watch/$$

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TAKEAWAYS:

1. The evolution and consequence of the seven deadly sins, patriarchy, and power—this is one key theme of this film that had a pretty solid follow through. 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

It takes a little moment to take shape in Act One when following our lead character, played by Gaga; and even then it’s mainly stated vs seen by “father Gucci” himself to his son, played by Driver. However, the quick focus on the Gucci family is what saves Act One’s role in setting the theme in motion because the family itself is the theme. 

Act Two is all about Gaga’s character being slowly immersed in the Gucci environment. We see her go from sampling the family lifestyle with a “forced / testing” humility, to taking advantage of the all you can have buffet, thus becoming a replica of them / the theme. Then, while this is happening, we see the patriarchy and power aspects of the theme emerge in response. 

Act Three is the collision of the theme on all characters involved. 

2. As my friend said, “AND YOU [SUGGESTED] YO MAN FOR THE SHOW!” That last lunch meeting in Act Three… 🤭🤭😂😂😂

3. But the outfits, though…🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

4. When I tell you, Father Gucci was SO shady… #TheTriumphOfMediocrity 🤭😩😂

5. House of Gucci tells the origin story of the now global luxury fashion line. I learned SO much from this film, and it was so juicy while also being effective in its execution. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

This film definitely holds true to its title, and the each act ensures we get the understanding, legacy, beliefs, and motivations of this family as it relates to the theme. Act One wastes no time with us being able to get a glimpse of both Gaga’s character as well as the Gucci family separately, and then together. I also appreciated the slow merge with the 1-1 (Gaga and Driver) to then 2-1 (Gaga & Drive with father), and finally the blending of the families. 

Act Two is the complete dive into the Gucci family mainly through the lens of Gaga’s character and her steering of the theme, and then Act Three… another perspective of “when in Rome…” 

6. Personally, I found the pacing to be solid. Act One quickly gets Gaga into this family without it feeling rushed. Act Two is just a fun and scandalous pacing via Gaga with every convo, move, and visual feeling intentional and perfectly timed by frame. 

Act Three is where the debris from Act Two gets it juicy. A friend of mine who was with me felt the pacing started to slow down a bit at this point (he also was on his second glass of theater wine…lol), and I felt the start of Act Three move a little differently after going through Act Two, but it was brief and necessary to me. It wasn’t long before the act picks up steam again. It was like driving on an open highway, then coming to that random short stretch of 2 lanes becoming 1 due to construction, but once you go through it you’re back to speeding again… 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

7. I didn’t think seeing Salma and Gaga together would be one of the most entertaining duos on screen. 🙌🏾🙌🏾

8. When Gaga spoke to Franco about trying to teacher her child to not touch other people’s stuff… 😂😂😂

9. “You can call me Señora Gucci…” #Periodt😂

10. I adored every character performance, and every character carried the weight of the theme in their own way. I really enjoyed Jared Leto as Paolo Gucci who seems to be someone who embodied this internal battle of the virtue patience with the sin of envy and wrath, even though at times it felt like he was having a keekee session / queening out with Gaga (but I blame the chemistry and not him, which is also a good thing). 

Father Gucci who was the epitome vainglory. Uncle Aldo who embodied a form of gluttony and sloth-ness. Maurizio Gucci who had an amazing arc from embodying this virtue of humility to having aspects of his family rub off on him eventually. And then we have Gaga’s character, Patrizia. 

Her arc and development was the strongest in acts 2 and 3—seeing this greed, vainglory, and wrath mold together. BUT…Act One doesn’t explain much about her motivation. How the seed was planted. We do get this “lust” aspect from her, but again… why based on her life-context at the time…🥴🤷🏾‍♂️👍🏾👍🏾

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Overall #HouseOfGucci gives The Eyes of Tammy Faye – meets The Crown – meets The Addams Family – meets the Candy Mossler story

This is one fun, scandalous, and messy (in a gay, juicy way) ass biographical story. That’s it. That’s all. 

SN: I would LOVE to see my girl who does the make-up and crime stories on FB tell the summary of this story in her way.