Being the Ricardos Film Review (No Spoilers)

'Being the Ricardos' Amazon Studios

Director, Aaron Sorkin (Moneyball, The Social Network, Steve Jobs) has made his bread and butter in large part by bringing true stories to the big screen and Being the Ricardos is another perfect example of showcasing a story about beloved characters in a light that we never would have imagined. Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge! Bombshell, Lion) and Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men, Skyfall, The Sea Inside) team up to lead a stellar cast along with J.K. Simmons (Whiplash, Spider-Man, La La Land) as the audience experiences the deeper, more emotional life of Lucille Ball otherwise known as Lucy, from "I Love Lucy".

Synopsis:

"In 1952, Hollywood power couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz face personal and professional obstacles that threaten their careers, their relationship, and their hit television show."

What You See, Feel, and Hear

Nicole Kidman recently earned a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama for her portrayal of Lucille Ball in this film. It's prominent with this performance as well as many others over the past 5-10 years that Nicole Kidman's acting talent is aging like fine wine and the authenticity of her roles are broadening before our eyes. In a generation heavily focused on instant gratification from our phones, laptops, wifi, and other user friendly technologies, it's refreshing to experience a film that dives in deep within the lifestyle of the 1950s. Javier Bardem provides a career defining performance in his role as Desi Arnaz as this film was a sort of love letter to I Love Lucy and to the empowerment of women during a difficult era.

The film felt completely fluid with authentic nostalgia. From wardrobe, to colors, to set pieces, to the acting, Sorkin did a great job of immersing the production as far into the 1950s as possible. With many plot tribulations and obstacles this film still felt comforting throughout until the end where you go through an incredible emotional experience with these characters, a moment that forces a smile from those watching. Even though that moment was about 30-60 seconds long, it defined the entire film and gave a voice to the reasoning behind the script that was put together.

The tone of this film is "quaint". If you're looking for a story that's going to take you through major highs and major lows, this isn't it. However, if you're looking for a film that focuses entirely upon the emotions of a story rather than the emotions that can come from the audience then this is that type of film. One difficult factor was the transition from present to pass because there was no solid indication where those moments were taking place so you could find yourself trying to piece together the story as the film jumped back and forth.

My Take

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It was equally appealing in quality and performance as it was educational in showcasing a story that we never hear about from characters that are exceptionally popular. The acting stands out from top to bottom, with Oscar worthy performances from Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem along with noteworthy and emotion provoking performances from J.K. Simmons and Nina Arianda. It feels as if these performances created a story worth watching while without them I'm not sure if that would have been the case.

Grade: 8.2/10