I love a good swing for the fences.
Over the past few years, wandering through the vast landscape of bland, algorithm-driven, conveyor belt cinema, there have been select films and filmmakers whose projects seem dedicated to taking risks. Movies like Beau is Afraid, Babylon, or The People’s Joker exude the type of unrestrained passion from which great cinema is born. Sometimes, these films miss the mark, but even those like Southland Tales or Heaven’s Gate maintain their fandom and respect because of their audacious vision. Some filmmakers would rather go hard and risk failure than succeed at mediocrity, and Francis Ford Coppola is one of those filmmakers.
The man needs no introduction, and his feature, Megalopolis, is already dividing audiences and critics, as he intended and hoped. Having finally seen the film, I’ll admit I’m just as divided. I don’t know if it’s vibrant, timeless artistry, a self-indulgent mess, or both.
Megalopolis follows architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) in the dying city of New Rome, a cross between Modern America and ancient Rome. He wants to build a shining new city but has to fight against the mayor of New Rome, Franklyn Cicer (Giancarlo Esposito), amongst other forces of greed and exploitation. At the same time, Cesar falls in love with Franklyn’s daughter, Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), who forces him to confront his insecurities and egotism. Everything about Megalopolis purposefully evokes timelessness.
The dialogue sounds almost Shakespearian, without a hint of modern cadence or tone, matching the elevated and vibrant production design. While it took a bit to get used to some clunky moments, I saw how the dialogue and heightened characterization fit the film’s atmosphere. Every character and conflict feels larger than life, and I was sucked in.
The film’s grandness maintained my interest, but I found it challenging to invest myself at first. Coppola took much inspiration from The Fountainhead, though, unlike Ayn Rand, Coppola is aware of his lead’s egotism, which is in the film’s favor. Still, Ceasar’s loftiness makes him tough to fully invest in, especially since a lot of his relationships in the film feel rushed. I honestly got more interested when Clodio Pulcher (Shia LaBeouf) entered the film as Cesar’s cousin, a Caligula/Trump-influenced radical who exploits the poor and vulnerable abandoned by Cesar and Franklyn to garner power and influence. I wish the film dove deeper into this story, as it ties into the film’s theme but wasn’t been given enough attention. While Coppola does tie up his loose ends, many of the subplots in Megalopolis warrant more attention.
Much like Godfather Coda, Apocalypse Now Final Cut, and One From the Heart: Reprise, I wouldn’t be surprised if we get another cut of Megalopolis. For all its grandiosity, there’s still more to explore with these characters in this world. Still, despite its flaws, Coppola’s shameless, uninhibited passion won me over with Megalopolis. He wears his heart on his sleeve with every frame and has my utmost respect for birthing this film. It may be more accurate to say I respect Megalopolis more than I like it, but I was truly captivated and look forward to watching it again.