The review:
I’d seen a preview for Brady Corbet’s Vox Lux and I thought I knew what it was about, so I was utterly confused when the movie opened with a brutal school shooting* and the main character was not Natalie Portman, but Raffey Cassidy. It’s a story told in two parts, the first as 13-year-old Celeste is on the precipice of fame, the second as 31-year-old Celeste is preparing for an important hometown concert. I can see Natalie Portman giving it her all,** but it comes off as scenery-chewing, plus the pacing is off and the movie ends with an endless concert performance that adds nothing.***
The verdict:
Skip unless you are super into Natalie Portman, or are looking for reasons you don’t want to be famous.
Cost: $5.99 (a lot for a not-good movie) via Google Play
Where watched: at home
Consider watching instead:
- The Runaways
- Velvet Goldmine
- Straight Outta Compton
Further sentences:
*And also, some end credits that ran backwards. They were very confusingly art-y and subtracted more than they added to the film.
**Raffy Cassidy is also quite good. Plus Willem Dafoe was the narrator and that worked.
***It’s great those backup dancers got some work, I guess, but after about five minutes, it’s like “I get it, I get it, move on.” Unfortunately, there is no resolution. Those end credits return. But rolling in the normal direction.
