Jay Rohr
The Bride! soars in ambitiously unhinged segments. These wildly stylized sections verge on an acid-tinged fever dream then give way to more grounded, albeit pulp fiction portions. The result is an oscillation in tone that never reaches the insane potential the picture promises. The Bride! essentially becomes a sample platter of ambitious intentions which, while entertaining throughout, never come together as well as it aspires. Still, it’s nice when a movie doesn’t aim to please everyone.
The finer details risk too many spoilers. Suffice it to say, a murdered young moll named Ida (Jessie Buckley) awakes in the laboratory of Dr. Euphronious (Annette Bening). Although unable to remember anything about her past, the resurrected woman is introduced to Frank (Christian Bale), a hideously deformed fellow covered in scars, stitches, and staples. He endeavors to calm her by saying she is his bride, but it’s only when Ida expresses herself as an uncontainable ball of chaos that she finds any satisfaction. As romance blossoms between them, the two discover the promise of freedom found in being what others consider monsters.
The movie loosely borrows from Mary Shelley’s immortal novel Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus and the 1935 Universal monster classic The Bride of Frankenstein. The setting is a hyper-stylized jazz age that crisscrosses the United States of that era. Cities are neon-soaked lands of excess, grim Gatsby gothic metropolises full of swanky mob run restaurants, mad scientist labs, and literally underground clubs for misfits. Everything about The Bride! visually aspires to a dark campiness it frequently achieves.
Writer-director Maggie Gyllenhaal has really taken the time to put together a distinct visual vibe full of wonderful contrasts. The Bride! pulls from a color palette composed of murky failing neon and muddy swamp rainbows. The streets may be shrouded in shadows, but never enough to lose sight of gory action, architectural details, or performers. Plus, the production crew has done a marvelous job of adding little tidbits to give scenes authenticity such as shredded pasteup posters for Bauhaus.
That said, such allusions have a mixed effectiveness. Those posters could easily be considered a reference to the German art movement as well as a sidewise cheeky nod to the pioneers of gothic rock. The Bride! typically flirts with multifaceted allusions which work within the context of the film. However, it’s possible that viewers unfamiliar with things such as Bartleby, the Scrivener may not fully appreciate what the film is trying to do with its frequent allusions to literature, art, and film. Consequently, it feels like there are moments that aren’t getting the appreciation they may deserve.
It’s an odd issue since Gyllenhaal has no trouble occasionally stopping the movie’s momentum to bluntly declare the feminist intentions of the film. The ghost of Mary Shelley literally expresses them in fourth wall breaks. Even in an era of diminished media literacy, this safe play seems strange in a movie full of references to material many movie goers are likely to be completely unfamiliar with. The point being The Bride! oddly assumes the audience will grasp references to 19th century literature and Gesamtkunstwerk, but not to get the subtext it aims to deliver.
Thematically, the film can be summed by quoting Pulitzer prize-winning historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich who coined the saying, “well-behaved women seldom make history.” The Bride! is also a search for identity. The reinvigorated young lady isn’t exactly who she was when she died and attempts at several points to define herself. These themes are likely to resonate with audiences to varying degrees.
The problem isn’t the messaging so much as the resolution of various thematic arcs. I don’t want to spoil anything with narrative specifics, but there are moments where The Bride’s feminist journey feels like wild women do and they don’t regret it until the next scene requires tying up threads which don’t fit that philosophy. That said, this issue may stem from the movie being a bit overstuffed with plot lines.
Narratively, there’s a gothic ghost story, Frankenstein tale, pulp detective angle, dime novel romance, and mob revenge plot. Not all of them satisfyingly conclude, some actually feel more like clutter than quality additions. The main consequence being that The Bride! starts to feel a little longer than it needs to be.
Fortunately, besides its amazing visual aspects, the cast is stellar. Christian Bale (The Pale Blue Eye) delivers a touching take on the creature, portraying an achingly lonely being who can be disturbingly vicious. Annette Bening (Nyad) offers a subdued take on the mad scientist that has a unique charm. Jake Gyllenhaal (Road House) delivers a spot on version of 1930s film stars as the dashing dancer Ronnie Reed. The fact they took time to film faux features which Frank is obsessed with was a stellar choice. Meanwhile, Penélope Cruz (The Invite) and Peter Sarsgaard (September 5) provide solid pulp detectives chasing the monsters.
The Bride! belongs entirely to Jessie Buckley. Rarely is it worth saying a film’s flaws can be entirely ignored because of a single performance. Her portrayal of the fractured mind of this effervescent, rebellious, jagged diamond is beyond impressive. She inhabits three roles, sometimes simultaneously, with fluid mesmerizing ease; something that really has to be seen to be truly appreciated. She is the chaotic force of nature infusing this film with the electric character it needs to stay compelling.
This is a movie that may have exceeded its grasp by a hair. Writer-director Maggie Gyllenhaal tries to ride the lightning over the moon, coming so close I’d like to see her try again. The overall feature is an entertaining assortment of ambitiously wild visuals which are more frequently captivating than they are dull. There is a distinct vibe that resonates throughout this feminist driven story of a person refusing to be well-behaved. Propelled by Jessie Buckley’s award-worthy performance, The Bride! lives up to the iconic character inspiring the feature. In this wearisome era of lazy legacy sequels, it’s always satisfying when a film shoots for the stars.
