Megalopolis movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Megalopolis

This artsy-fartsy, sci-fi drama by legendary director Francis Ford Coppola is now playing in theaters.

RATING: R

LENGTH: 2 hours 18 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: C-

IN A NUTSHELL:

The story compares the fall of the Roman empire to our modern-day world. The city of New Rome is the main conflict between Cesar Catilina, a brilliant artist in favor of a utopian future, and the greedy mayor, Franklyn Cicero. Between them is Julia Cicero, her loyalty divided between her father and the man she becomes obsessed with.

Award-winning director Francis Ford Coppola financed this passion project himself to the tune of $120 million. Critics are hating on this film and audiences are calling it a complete disaster. Despite that, the director has already been nominated for a Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Laurence Fishburne said that Francis Ford Coppola began discussing this film’s idea way back in 1979 when they were filming Apocalypse Now.

THINGS I LIKED:

I love Adam Driver. I fell in love with his genius in the jaw-dropping scene where he completely loses it in the film Marriage Story. He readily accepts risky scripts in the movies he chooses and seems to truly respect the craft and art of filmmaking, pushing the boundaries and forcing us to look at life through a different lens. I admire that but recognize that not all audiences want that.
What a cast! It’s filled with Academy Award winners and nominees, including Laurence Fishburne, Shia LaBeouf, Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancario Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, and Chloe Fineman. The director also cast his sister, Talia Shire, and his nephew, Jason Schwartzman.
The creative hairstyles and costume design of the men and women definitely make you think of ancient Roman styles. Surely, costume designer Milena Canonero will, at least, be nominated for some awards for her clever adaptations.
A surprise is watching America’s Got Talent winner, Grace VanderWaal, perform a couple of musical numbers.
The movie is dedicated to Eleanor Coppola, the director’s wife, who recently passed away during post production.
The entire apocalyptic film is extremely imaginative. Is the film’s chaos supposed to cleverly reflect the state of democracy today or is it the result of an aging director who doesn’t care what others think because he’s regarded as a genius already?
Someone mentions the concept of architecture as frozen music. Cool perspective, right?

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The movie is a messy, overstuffed pot of ideas that’s often difficult to understand and watch.
This film is WAY too long to say what it wants to say. It’s a true test of patience for the audience who is hoping it’s all going to make sense somehow.
Most of the sets look like sets. Rather than getting lost in a story, you’re always fully aware you’re watching a movie.
An entirely different cast was selected to do table reads before the project was scrapped after the 911 attacks because one of the scenes foretold of such a terrorist attack. After that, the actors dropped out of the project one by one. Because the director worked on this film for decades, it still feels like a jumble.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

This movie is not appropriate for kids.
Sexual content (clothed)
Profanity, including F-bombs
Lots of scantily-clad women
We see several women kiss.
Infidelity
Transvestites

THEMES:

City management
Government
Liberty
Greed
Power
Utopia
Stopping time
Loyalty
Humanity’s worth

FUNNY LINES:

“What is it like being rich?” – Wow Platinum (Aubrey Plaza) “You can scare people.” – Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight)

INTERESTING LINES:

“Humanity is a tree with one misguided branch called civilization going nowhere.” – Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver)
“Don’t let the now destroy the forever.” – Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver)
“I want to be half of a power couple.” – Wow Platinum (Aubrey Plaza) “Which half?” – Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver)
“When does an Empire die? Does it collapse in one terrible moment? No. No, but there comes a time when its people no longer believe in it.” – Fundi Romaine (Laurence Fishburne)
“My plan is a city that people can dream about.” – Caesar Catalina (Adam Driver)
“And when we ask these questions, when there’s a dialogue about them, that – basically – is a utopia.” – Caesar Catalina (Adam Driver)
“People don’t need dreams. People need help now!” – Mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito)
“We’re in need of a great debate about the future!” – Caesar Catalina (Adam Driver)
“When we leap into the unknown, we prove we are free.” – Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver)
“There’s nothing to be afraid of if you love or have loved.” – Cesar Catalina (Adam Driver)
“Is this society, is this way we’re living, the only one that’s available to us?” – Cesar Catalina (Adam Driver)