JEANNE’S REVIEW

Jessie Buckley continues on her path as the finest female actor of her generation giving an absolutely riveting performance as Ida/”The Bride” in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s latest feature THE BRIDE!. Despite Buckley’s prowess, however, the film is a total disappointment.

Inspired by the 1935 film BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, which itself was based on Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, written in 1818, THE BRIDE! begins in 1930s Chicago. Frankenstein’s monster, Frank (Christian Bale), arrives at the home and laboratory of Dr. Cornelia Euphronious (Annette Bening) to convince her to make him a companion.

He’s terribly lonely, which Cornelia understands, so together they dig up the body of a young woman who was recently murdered --- and bring her back to life. That young woman was Ida (Buckley), an escort for men in the mob. She was pushed down a steep flight of stairs by Clyde (John Magaro) at the behest of a local mob boss, Lupino (Zlatko Burić).

At first, Penelope or Penny --- the name given to Ida by Frank --- is less than thrilled at the prospect of being Frank’s girlfriend. But as they begin a crime spree and flee Chicago for New York City, the two monsters fall in love, with Ida taking on the moniker “The Bride”.

As the two continue on their escapades from state to state, they are being tailed by Clyde after Lupino learns that Ida is alive. Also in the hunt is Detective Jake Wiles (Peter Sarsgaard) and his assistant, Myrna Mallow (Penélope Cruz), who began their search in Chicago. As the cops close in, Ida races back to Chicago with Frank to seek help from Dr. Euphronious.

THE BRIDE! isn’t all bad. There is a spectacular song-and-dance number led by Frank and Ida at a party in a swanky ballroom in NYC. Frank’s idol, Ronnie Reed (Jake Gyllenhaal), a very popular actor, is present and Frank is determined to impress him. He has seen all of Reed’s movies --- many times --- and he can’t believe his luck at meeting him. Initially Reed is cordial, but the night becomes violent and Frank barely escapes with Ida.

Buckley, fresh off her magnificent performance in HAMNET for which she is slated to win an Oscar for Best Actress after just winning the Actor Award for that role, also starred in Gyllenhaal’s feature directorial debut, THE LOST DAUGHTER (2021). As “The Bride”, she is mesmerizing --- you simply cannot look away. She wears the white frizzy hair with panache while shocking everyone around her with her outrageous outbursts.

However, Buckley is not enough to make THE BRIDE! worthwhile. Bale’s portrayal of Frank borders on campy --- hell, the entire film is campy. Perhaps that was Gyllenhaal’s intention. While watching THE BRIDE! I felt like Gyllenhaal was trying to channel the vibes of Emerald Fennel’s directorial process. For Gyllenhaal, it just doesn't work. She’s trying so hard to be out there --- instead her efforts come off as extreme. And decidedly not entertaining.

Even the presence of Bening and Cruz doesn’t inject Gyllenhaal’s screenplay with enough oomph. Sarsgaard, Gyllenhaal’s husband, is downright awful --- maybe he can get away with blaming his wife’s poorly written script. And don’t even get me started on the ending in Dr. Euphronious’ laboratory --- it’s an incredibly cheap ripoff of one of the most iconic scenes in movie history.

Opinion: Don’t Bother!

DAVID’S REVIEW

THE BRIDE! is writer/director Maggie Gyllenhaal’s second feature-length film after the 2021 gem THE LOST DAUGHTER. That movie also featured Jessie Buckley as the younger version of Olivia Colman’s lead role. So THE BRIDE! not only reunites Gyllenhaal and Buckley but also reunites the director with her husband Peter Sarsgaard, here cast as police detective Jake Wiles.

THE BRIDE! represents Gyllenhaal’s vivid imagining of how Frankenstein’s monster would be paired with the woman reinvigorated (i.e., “restored to life”) as the monster’s future bride. Although he calls himself Frankenstein, Christian Bale’s character is actually the monster created by Dr. Frankenstein, while the bride, Ida, (Buckley) is brought back to life after a nasty push down a stairwell.

While I felt THE BRIDE! could have been shortened, there are undeniably many entertaining aspects. The song-and-dance routines harken back to earlier films from the 1940s. It also reminded me of YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN starring the late Peter Boyle, who performed his own rather entertaining routine as the monster.

Gyllenhaal has included many not-so-subtle similarities to BONNIE and CLYDE (1967). Of course, Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty are bank robbers on the run from authorities, while Frankenstein and his bride are murderous monsters fleeing from the law and the mob. But in the end it is really a love story, and a touching one at that.

Annette Bening delivers a wonderful portrayal as Dr. Euphronious, who does her best Dr. Frankenstein impression. Her massive laboratory housed in the turret of her mansion is replete with all the necessary tubing and  electricity-driven gadgets needed to reinvigorate Ida. It’s a hoot!

Gyllenhaal cast her younger brother Jake as Ronnie Reed, a movie star, whose role is almost a cameo. Nevertheless, he stands out as the slick-haired Reed. Penélope Cruz as Myrna Mallow, wannabe detective and assistant to Jake Wiles, is a delight playing off Sarsgaard. Myrna is determined to become a detective --- unheard of in 1930’s Chicago, or anywhere else.

Ultimately, there is a lot to like about THE BRIDE!, most especially the performances by Buckley and Bale. Fresh off an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in the 2025 film HAMNET, Buckley is simply amazing in this multi-faceted role.

The excessive violence may be a turnoff for some viewers, but overall Gyllenhaal’s ambitious efforts cannot be denied. THE BRIDE! is certain to be a controversial film.

Opinion: See It Now!