Being the Ricardos (2021)
“You all work for me.” – Jess Oppenheimer.
Being the Ricardos (2021)
Directed by: Aaron Sorkin
Written by: Aaron Sorkin
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, J.K Simmons, Nina Arianda, Tony Hale
Sorkin’s whippy dialogue elevates Lucille Ball’s story from average to interesting, but a bloated runtime and lack of stakes leaves Being the Ricardos mostly forgetful.
The film follows of week of production of I Love Lucy, as Lucille Ball (Kidman) and her husband Desi (Bardem) confront both professional and personal disasters.
If you love Lucille Ball, this will probably satiate your fandom. Despite her problems, Lucille is painted as a strong, vocal, independent woman, with plenty of snappy one-liners in a powerful reminder of the entertainment juggernaut that she was. She helped establish the presence and independence of female comics in Western society, and the film celebrates that fact.
And hey…if you don’t know Lucille Ball’s story…you’ll probably like it anyway. Sorkin moulds the film as a representation of 1940s Hollywood, leaning heavily into the political and social anxieties of the time. However, despite touching on these topics briefly, he never wades deeper than the surface. Serious topics are dismissed or seemingly vanquished with a single Lucille Ball zinger, leaving the film feeling devoid of a meaningful message.
The cast is overflowing with talent, and both Kidman and Bardem have received Oscar nominations, but it feels like this was more a repercussion of Sorkin’s script than the performances themselves.
My love for J.K. Simmons and Sorkin’s repartee meant this was a reasonably enjoyable experience, but I doubt I’ll ever watch it again.
Rating: 7/10