In November 2021, the long-awaited drama/crime film House of Gucci, directed by Ridley Scott, was finally released. Expectations were high for critics and audiences everywhere, making certain letdowns about the movie even more disappointing. Based on real events, House of Gucci tells the story of Patrizia Reggiani, an ambitious working-class woman who falls in love with Maurizio Gucci, heir to the fashion empire known as Gucci. While the pair's relationship is initially based on their deep, true love for one another, they quickly get wrapped up in the power, money, and prestige that comes with running Gucci. All Patrizia wants is to be accepted and respected by the Gucci family, but the fact that she is not eventually drives her mad and pushes her over the edge.
The biggest issue most people had with House of Gucci was its extremely long running time, coming in at two hours and 37 minutes, and the fact that the editing and storytelling felt a bit choppy and all over the place. There is no question that the film could have been done better if it was more concise and organized, but there are still great aspects about the film. Just looking at its incredible star-studded cast from Oscar-winner Lady Gaga, who gave one of the best performances of her career, to Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, and Salma Hayek. As we approach the film's annivesary, here are five reasons why House of Gucci wasn’t as bad as everyone said it was.
5 It Was Meant to Be Comical
One of the biggest issues critics had with Scott's House of Gucci was that they couldn't take the characters seriously. The film is advertised as a crime/drama, but really it is a comedy in disguise. Although the themes of murder, betrayal, power, and lust are dark, especially because it is based on a true story, the script and performances given still find a way to make us laugh at the characters and find humor in such an unhappy ending. Jared Leto's performance as Paolo Gucci was especially controversial. People either loved it and thought he was hilarious, or believed the performance was too over the top and borderline annoying to watch. Gucci's family members even argued against the portrayal, saying it was far from an accurate depiction of the real Paolo. Regardless of what people thought at the end of the day, this is of course an exaggerated version of Paolo, who was constructed to be entertaining on screen.
4 The Costumes, Hair, and Make-Up
Despite how long House of Gucci was, audiences were given plenty of time to gawk over how incredible the costumes, hair, and make-up were. Patrizia's outfits and accessories were fabulous, as well as her evolving hairstyles throughout the duration of the film. One of the most impressive looks pulled off was Patrizia's wedding dress; the attention to detail is outstanding, and it is amazing how close the dress looks to the real Patrizia Gucci's. In addition to the glamorous aspects of costuming, the hair and makeup team was able to completely transform Leto into Paolo Gucci, with an hours-long process each day. With the help of prosthetics, Leto was almost unrecognizable on screen. Janty Yates, a long-time collaborator of Scott's, was the costume designer for the film, and Sarah Tanno, Fredrica Castelli, and Göran Lundström all worked on the hair and makeup team.
3 Adam Driver and Al Pacino's performances
When the cast of House of Gucci was first announced, there was no question in anyone's mind that this film would be filled with great performances. Some of the most successful and acclaimed actors working today starred in this film such as Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, and Salam Hayek. While all the portrayals were incredible, something about Driver and Pacino's performances stood out. They both are so naturally gifted, but watching them on-screen, it felt as though these roles were made for them. Driver played Maurizio with such brutal honesty. Maurizio went from being timid and a bit of a pushover to cold and backstabbing. Pacino, on the other hand, constantly brought humor and light into a character with dark and questionable intentions. Even when we hated what Aldo was doing, Pacino kept us engaged in the character.
2 Lady Gaga, Of Course
When you think about House of Gucci, you think about Lady Gaga. She was able to completely lose herself in the character and just become Patrizia. Gaga is such an incredible actress, and her commitment to a character and a story is so apparent on screen. House of Gucci is only the actress' second feature film after having starred as Ally in Bradley Cooper's A Star is Born. The role of Patrizia Gucci is one that could have only been played by her. The character goes through so many phases, starting off young and in love and then quickly becoming immersed in a world full of men, money, and power, to eventually going mad after she and the love of her life become completely taken over by the lifestyle that comes with running one of the largest fashion empires in the world. This is by far Lady Gaga's best performance to date, and her not being nominated for Best Actress at the 2022 Academy Awards is one of the biggest Oscar snubs ever.
1 House of Gucci's Message
Behind all the costumes, beautiful sets, and elaborate script, House of Gucci has a very important message about what it is to be a woman in a world dominated by men, the danger that comes with money and power, and even mental illness. Throughout the entire film, all Patrizia wants is to be respected and appreciated by the men in the Gucci family, Maurizio, Aldo, Rodolfo, and even Paolo. Even though she fed crucial ideas into the family's ears that prompted them to make life-changing decisions about the Gucci brand, they never took her seriously all because she was a woman. Eventually, Patrizia, like her husband, hungered for the power, money, and glory that came with being Gucci, which made her even more unstable. After being beaten down so much and left by the last Gucci on her side — her husband — she ordered a hit on him and planned his murder. This is, of course, a true story and the death of Maurizio Gucci is a tragedy, but, in the film, we do really get to see why Patrizia did what she did and how the family ended up that way.