This year, audiences have been blessed with not one but two films from one of the industry’s most legendary and acclaimed directors, Ridley Scott. Scott received high praise from critics and casual moviegoers alike earlier this year for his work on The Last Duel. However, his latest, House of Gucci, appears to have a much more divided response from critics in their early reviews.
House of Gucci tells the true story of the family behind the Gucci fashion empire. It specifically focuses on the rise of Patrizia Reggiani, who marries into the family and eventually finds herself willing to kill for her new position of fame, fortune, and influence. The film stars Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani and Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, and Al Pacino as significant members of the Gucci family. House of Gucci arrives in theaters on November 24, 2021.
So, what are the critics saying in their early House of Gucci reviews?
Slashfilm – Chris Evangelista
One critic who appears to have enjoyed House of Gucci the most is Slashfilm‘s Chris Evangelista, who sums up his feelings toward the film, writing:
It’s Lifestyles of the Rich and Clueless in Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci,” an odd duck of a film that wants to serve you both a scrumptious gourmet meal and greasy fast food in the same bite. There’s a wobbly, unbalanced quality to the entire thing, as Scott and company try to make something akin to a prestige drama cosplaying as a trashy soap opera. And yet it’s hard not to have fun with everything on display here — all the glitz, all the glam, all the bad accents.”
Ultimately, Evangelista gave the film a score of 7 out of 10.
The Hollywood Reporter – David Rooney
David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter shared a similar sentiment to Chris Evangelista’s review. In his review, Rooney wrote:
Ridley Scott’s film is a trashtacular watch that I wouldn’t have missed for the world. But it fails to settle on a consistent tone — overlong and undisciplined as it careens between high drama and opera buffa.”
Despite the inconsistency and other issues in the film, Rooney’s review makes it clear he enjoyed the experience overall. However, he did not give the movie a final score or rating.
Lady Gaga and Adam Driver in ‘House of Gucci’
AwardsWatch – Lauren Coates
Lauren Coates of AwardsWatch also mentions issues with the movie’s tone and pacing. However, she specifically praises Lady Gaga’s performance, writing:
Though the film often struggles to decide what to do with the character of Patrizia, Gaga’s performance never wavers – economizing every moment she’s onscreen and always making surprising, exciting choices that make her impossible to look away from.”
In the end, Coates gives Ridley Scott’s latest film a grade of B+.
The Washington Post – Michael O’Sullivan
Unfortunately, not every critic found something to love or like about the movie. Michael O’Sullivan of The Washington Post makes this clear in his House of Gucci review, writing:
Apologies for making any of this sound like ‘Gucci’ could be one of those so-bad-it’s-good larks. For all its imperfections, the sin this movie is most guilty of is taking itself too seriously. As a colleague observed after a recent screening, the film would have been a lot more fun if Adam McKay had directed it.”
The only real praise O’Sullivan shares for the film is for the costuming, which he calls “fabulous”. Other than that, O’Sullivan was not a fan, giving the movie a score of 1.5 out of 4.
House of Gucci Reviews: The Consensus
Sadly, many of the early House of Gucci reviews indicate that movie has some serious issues with its tone, pacing, and final act. While some critics seem to enjoy the mess and stellar performance from Lady Gaga, it appears that House of Gucci is not for everyone. At the time of writing this, House of Gucci has a score of 64% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
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