From the 70s to the 90s, the famed House of Gucci went thru dramatic turmoil, and if this movie is to be believed, much of it was due to the Machiavellian machinations of Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga). She targeted the handsome Gucci son (Adam Driver), married him and went on to manipulate many aspects of his family’s business. Director Ridley Scott has staged the story with appropriate richness, but he’s wisely let the focus fall on the family, not the fashion. On her 2nd feature film outing, Gaga continues to demonstrate an extraordinary ability to inhabit a character with every nuance played out on screen. In another memorable performance, Driver creates an affable guy who evolves with depth. Al Pacino does one of his best over-the-top Italians, but it’s Jared Leto, wearing layers of prosthetics, who creates the loser brother with humor and empathy. Even at 2:37, the unbelievable ambition and betrayal of this lineage creates a compelling story that’s made even more effective by the exceptional performances. 
(4.5 / 5)
