There is Treachery in the HOUSE OF GUCCI

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray, DVD and Digital Code from director Ridley Scott and Universal Pictures is the based on the true story about the HOUSE OF GUCCI.

Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) works for her father’s transportation business and enjoys a night life. One evening at a party, she meets Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) and learns he is the son of the famous brand created by father Rodolfo Gucci (Jeremy Irons) and Uncle Aldo Gucci (Al Pacino).

The two fall hard for each other and even when Maurizio’s father kicks him out of the family home, they are happy in their lives. When Maurizio becomes part of the family business, it is Patrizia who sees what is happening to that business, including the mess of a Cousin Paolo Gucci (Jared Leto). Needing encouragement, she turns to psychic Pina (Salma Hayek) and now Gucci is back on top.

At least for a while, as Maurizio begins to make his mark on the Gucci name and all the excess that comes with it. As the power begins to shift, so does the dynamic of relationships in the family as hearts are broken, anger turns to revenge, and a name is up for grabs.

Gaga as Patrizia gives her character fire, family and, oh yes, love of Gucci. She is strong, a bit arrogant and knows how to play the game to get her husband to the top of the family business. The probably with being a person of fire and passion is that when you try to put those two things out – ugliness soon follows. Gaga does not hesitate to bring it all front and center with no qualms about who this character is and what she wants.

Driver as Maurizio begins as a shy law student who is a bit taken aback by Patrizia’s forwardness. Soon he finds himself totally enthralled in her, their life and being away from the Gucci family stresses. As much as he wanted the simple life, it was the Gucci life that would come calling. Learning how to play the game, Driver gives his character the brass what-evers to come out of his nice guy shell and play dirty.

Pacino as Aldo Gucci jumps into the family messes trying to discover what will benefit his bank account. Foregoing his own son, Aldo brings in Maurizio and Patrizia under the guise of doing whatever it takes to get their share of the family business. He is charming and a bit sleazy at the same time until, as with all things Gucci, he hits a speed bump. I do have to say that Pacino can certainly yell extremely well!

Leto as Paolo is a man who just wants his fashions to be seen but the problem is that his idea of fashion and Gucci’s idea of fashion are two different things. He is a problem for both his father and anyone else that he surrounds himself with. Leto is absolutely fantastic surrounded by hair, makeup and prosthetics but that is only decoration for his outrageous character performance.

Hayek as Pina is the mystical force in Patrizia’s life that gave her the green light for life with the Gucci clan. Consistently reading cards and staring into candle flames, it is their friendship that leads to an outcome the Gucci family could never have seen coming.

Other cast include Vincent Riotta as Fernando Reggiani, Gaetano Bruno as Franco, Jack Huston as Domenico De Sole, Alexia Murray as Silvana Reggiani, Camille Cottin as Paola Franchi, Youssef Kerkour as Nemir Kirdar, Florence Andrews as Jenny Gucci, Mehdi Nebbou as Said, Miloud Benamara as Omar, Andrea Bodini as Ivano, Vincenzo Tanassi as Benedetto, and Reeve Carney as Tom Ford.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

Apple TV Digital Code Included. 

The Bonus Features include The Rise of the House of Gucci: Making Of, The Lady of the House and Styling HOUSE OF GUCCI.

It is a shame, on a personal note, that the Academy did not see fit to nominate Lady Gaga for her performance. Her fellow male actors did well, and I am not pulling a “they could not have done it without her” woman thing – quite the contrary. Both she and Driver were the upfront stars of the film, my point is that both Lady Gaga and Driver gave us Patrizia and Maurizio, but damn if she did not give us a touch more.

HOUSE OF GUCCI is a fascinating, jaw dropping and head shaking look into a family that each lives in a world of their own. From the Gucci brothers and the ridiculous behaviors toward their sons to believing that nothing could possibly touch them, one could get whiplash keeping up with who is smacking who.

The look is authentic, the fashion is pure lux and, for the era, it is easy to see why women around the world just wanted to be wrapped in Gucci. This is the story of the rise of a brand, the fall of those who let their heads become as puffed up as the name and how all the mess did not seem to hurt the Gucci brand one, single, bit.

In the end – it is a legacy worth killing for!