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Being the Ricardos (2021) Review

I Love Better Films, Lucy

SCORE: 53/100

Directed by: Aaron Sorkin
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, J.K. Simmons

Synopsis: Follows one week of production for I Love Lucy, where Lucy and Desi face a crisis that could end their careers and another that could end their marriage.


****BEWARE POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD****


REVIEW:

When I initially saw the first trailers for this film, I was excited to see two incredible actors portraying these two important, historical television figures. That's what we get, I just wish the film didn't drag on.

Let's get the obvious out of the way, the performances. Across the board they're awesome, with J.K. Simmons and Javier Bardem being the true standouts. Everyone pulls their weight here, and it's among the things that make the film better. Kidman is a little off for me, as her portrayal of Lucille Ball was a little insufferable for me. Her performance is fantastic, but I think it may have been more in the way the character was written where I fell of the train for her character. Another strength of the film is its cutaways to pertinent moments of the I Love Lucy show, recreated with Nicole Kidman and her costars. 

The film has an odd structure, which feels weird to say given that it's an Aaron Sorkin film. He's proven in the past through things like The Social Network, The West Wing, and The Trial of the Chicago 7 that he knows what he's doing. Here though, it feels oddly structured, being part documentary and part drama. It definitely feels like Sorkin, or any cowriters as well, is a huge fan of I Love Lucy, and wanted to make his dream film about it, which is commendable. Throughout the movie, there are odd cuts to interviews with writers who were there at the time of the show. I don't know if that's true, since the show was in the '50's, so those people should be dead. 

Another complaint is that the movie is SLOW. I never really felt like anything was happening that always needed my full attention. Perhaps that the film was based on one week, as opposed to being more of a biopic of Lucille Ball and/or Desi Arnaz. It's also about an industry (Television) that I don't really care about, and a show that I was never really a fan of. 

There are people who will really like this film, but the performances aren't enough to warrant me giving it a better score. If it had better pacing, and a better structure, I feel like this would be an easy recommendation for any avid move watcher. For now, watch the trailer. If it looks at all interesting, give it a shot. 

Final Thought: Being the Ricardos is an interesting attempt at making a film about a moment in television history that, besides featuring great performances, fails to be truly exciting.

Score: 53/100

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