At the grand-old age of 84, Sir Ridley Scott continues to grace us with meaningful adult-oriented stories for the big screen. That is no mean feat for someone who is considered an OAP. Scott has managed to make some of cinema’s most iconic films, whether it’s the sci-fi classics Alien and Blade Runner or historical epics like Gladiator, it’s safe to assume he is one of Britain’s most distinguished and acclaimed filmmakers.
This year Scott not only has one film with his name attached but two, medieval period drama The Last Duel and sprawling fashion epic House of Gucci.
With The Last Duel, Scott teamed up with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener on the script, for a tale of trial by combat full of intrigue, friendship and betrayal. The film focusses on the story or stories of two French knights, John De Carrouges (Damon) and Jacque Le Gris (Adam Driver) as the latter accuses the other of rape of his wife Lady Marguerite (Jodie Comer).
Scott clearly has a passion for the historical epic and that is clear to see in The Last Duel which feels like one of those old fashioned medieval tales that Hollywood doesn’t seem to tell anymore. Probably because they don’t bring in the masses like they used to as highlighted by this films poor box office performance. The film cleverly tells the story through the different perspectives of the three main characters, ending on the perspective of Lady Marguerite, who among the actors, Jodie Comer shines as the downtrodden woman who refuses to be silenced. Driver also excels as the antagonistic Carrouges who is incredibly slimy and deceitful in his actions, but not over the top villainous.
The film deals with a lot of moral grey area in that none of the characters are overly heroic or villainous, they’re portrayed authentically as characters and due to the way the film is told you really get to know each character and their perspective of events. The addition of a female writer really enhances the final third of the film as by the time it comes to tell Marguerite’s perspective it is done with care and confidence, not being to preachy and overbearing in its message.
Although when it comes to the eventual sexual assault scene it is rather uncomfortable to watch especially when the film feels the need to show it twice for no real reason other than shock. The film begins and ends with the titular ‘last duel’ which is a brutal, violent affair which is very unpredictable in its outcome and has you gripping the seat with every sword swing.
Overall The Last Duel is a throwback to old-school historical epics that feels gritty and gruesome in all the right ways with some real stand out performances from Comer and Driver and tells a story that is still all too relevant today.
House of Gucci has an all-star cast of A-list talent, which tells the story of the infamous Gucci family and their rise and fall in the fashion industry. The story follows Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) as she falls in love with heir to the Gucci family throne, Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver). As she becomes part of the family, Patrizia seizes her opportunity to control the inner workings of the Gucci family, taking over from the more senior figures in the family, such as Aldo Gucci (Al Pacino) and his son Paulo (Jared Leto).
House of Gucci should have been a smash hit detailing the intricate conspiracy and power struggles surrounding this famous family and their work in the fashion industry. While the film does have some brilliant performances and memorable scenes the film falls apart as we move toward the conclusion.
Characters take a back seat, important plot points are glossed over and it all feels very inauthentic to the actual events that took place. Lady Gaga as Patrizia is brilliant, she plays her so well that you are never truly sure where her intentions lie until the very end where the film basically spells it out to the audience. Driver is also great, this time in a more understated role as the anxious but charming Maurizio. However when it comes to Jared Leto’s ‘performance’ as Paulo, it is comically over the top and feels completely out of left field, not at all on the level of his co-stars.
A lot of the accent work in the film is also very all over the place. Everyone speaks with a rather flamboyant Italian accent which works sometimes but it makes you wonder why they didn’t just do it in their normal accent or instead commit to the authenticity of it and just speak Italian. Another thing I noticed was the severe lack of colour and vibrancy in the film. For a film about fashion and elegance the film really lacked good cinematography, everything looked so desaturated and devoid of colour it was such an odd choice.
So if there’s one Ridley Scott film you watch from this duo, make it The Last Duel as House of Gucci, while full of some great performances (and some questionable ones), is a rushed tapestry that fails to tell an engaging and captivating story even with such rich history. House of Gucci should’ve been a hit but the film rushes through too much for too little pay off and ultimately would’ve suited a series format better.
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