“Being The Ricardos” Review
Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem star as “I Love Lucy” stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in “Being The Ricardos” which depicts the making of one episode of the legendary series.
Aaron Sorkin is easily one of the most talented writers working today with unbelievable screenplays for shows like “The West Wing” and “The Newsroom” along with films like “The Social Network,” “Moneyball” and “Steve Jobs.” But his work as a writer and director has made me consistently happy with “Molly’s Game” being a massive hit and “The Trial of the Chicago Seven” being one of my favorite films of 2020. While probably his weakest film as a director, Amazon Prime’s “Being The Ricardos” is still a wonderfully written film, detailing the tumultuous relationship behind “I Love Lucy.”
Set in 1953, “I Love Lucy” is the most viewed thing in the country second only to the sky. But during one chaotic week, the fate of the show is put in jeopardy when a variety of scandals strike stars Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem). Ball is accused of being a communist while Arnaz’s infidelity is slowly leaking through the press. Emotions are flying high between the power couple and the cast/crew and all anyone can do is proceed as normal because they still have a show to film in front of a live audience.
If there’s one thing Sorkin loves to do, it’s to take something incredibly familiar (Major League Baseball, FaceBook or The White House) and show the inside workings. “I Love Lucy” is easily one of the most iconic television shows of all time and I love it very much. But I had no idea just what went on behind the scenes.
Aaron Sorkin’s impressive work as a writer has turned him into a powerful director with “Being The Ricardos” being his third film as writer/director.
As usual, Sorkin’s punchy and witty dialogue makes the film incredibly melodic as if he composes with words instead of notes. He also has become an incredibly talented director, staging most of his scenes like plays (a nod to his theatrical background) but he takes those little steps to make it cinematic. Despite being set mainly during one week, Sorkin opens up the story by flashing back and showing how Lucy and Desi got together.
While Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz are some of the most memorable faces on the small screen, some people weren’t confident in Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem’s abilities to portray them. However, these doubts are clearly diminished when you see just how incredible they are. Kidman and Bardem are fantastic as the couple that defined the Golden Age of Television and their troubled relationship is fascinating to watch.
Also rounding out the cast are witty writers Madelyn Pugh (Alia Shawkat) and Bob Carroll (Jake Lacy) and actors Vivian Vance (Nina Arianda) and William Frawley (J.K. Simmons) who, as typical in a Sorkin production, interact with speech that is partially clever and partially insulting. The ensemble element of “Being The Ricardos” makes it a particularly fun experience since these are all very talented people in these roles.
Aaron Sorkin is always entertaining but “Being The Ricardos” doesn’t nearly have the same punch of “The Trial of the Chicago Seven” or “The Social Network,” probably because those films are more culturally relevant. But for people, like myself, who adore “I Love Lucy” or simply love films about the entertainment industry, “Being The Ricardos” is definitely a strong film to watch.
