A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.
Director Damien Chazelle (“La La Land”), who wrote and directed this film, apparently has a knack for casting specific personalities to this style of his films; however, there seems to be a disconnect in how well the characters were used to build a plot that was truly reflected in the title and its meaning. The two supporting characters, Jack (Brad Pitt) and Manny (Diego Calva), both have huge roles that help to promote old Hollywood style while showcasing the influence of drugs, sex, and nepotism, but each ignores their own needs to encourage others.
The only thing genuinely believable in this film is that Nellie Le Roy (Margot Robbie) believes she is a superstar long before becoming one. The fact that she says it to anyone who will listen is the fuel that keeps her fire going amid good times and bad. She reinvents herself repeatedly while putting herself into character for the roles she plays in her personal and professional life. If the plot centered around how she built her career by reducing others’ worth, it would be inexcusable yet understandable in Hollywood. What she does, however, is get in over her head while pursuing fame and then depend on the sympathy of an entire community to bail her out and continue to support her unpredictable lifestyle. At the same time, she becomes further immersed in her guilty pleasures.
Three hours and eight minutes of this formidable waste of time and energy seem to be a significant sacrifice to pay for those who revered Old Hollywood Style and looked forward to reminiscing over how the industry dealt with its talent and creative influence amid the allure of sex, drugs and perpetually open standards of living. The reality, though, is that showbiz in and of itself is a risky business, and even though you may have all the ingredients in one place, if talent, skill, and purpose aren’t creatively aligned, you could end up with a project where dysfunction is more of a threat than an attribute. Regrettably, this film is just that.
Now available on Premium VOD & Digital HD, and 4K Ultra HD™,
Blu-ray™, DVD, and in a Limited-Edition 4K Ultra HD SteelBook® March 21st
