The Bride

 

The Bride

We're still at the start of this year, but hands down, this film is the worst movie of the year. This is Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut, and she stumbles badly. I normally do not comment on direction, but this movie is chaotic.  It seems that the actors ad-libbed their roles.

This is the bride of Frankenstein.  As with the original 1935 film Frankenstein, or as they call him in this version, Frank, he is seeking companionship. He goes to the mad scientist, they dig up a corpse, and with a few bolts of electricity, the bride is reanimated.

The movie is a hot mess. Gyllenhaal tried to stitch different motifs in the film. There was the monster subject, then the gangster element. Since the film was set in the 1930’s, there was jazz era music and dancing. These elements conflicted with each other. She made her own monster.

Gyllenhaal must have called in her favors. For such a crap movie, the star lineup is impressive. Christian Bale is Frankenstein. He is hardly recognizable with heavy prosthetics and staples on his face.  I had a hard time identifying   Annette Bening as the mad scientist. Penelope Cruz looks dowdy as an assistant inspector. Peter Sarsgaard plays the police inspector; thankfully, he fits the role. She got her brother Jake Gyllenhaal for free.  

Jessie Buckly is the bride. Throughout the movie, there is tar on her face. To pay homage to the 1935 version, her hair is frizzed. Mel Brooks gave Madeline Kahn the same hairstyle in Young Frankenstein (a much better movie). Hopefully, no one saw this movie before she received the Oscar for Hamnet.

There are just five seconds at the end of the film that the movie has heart and is coherent.

I think Maggie deserves a mulligan. Good luck next time.