Being The Ricardos – A Well-Acted But Unfocused Biopic

While Aaron Sorkin is easily one of the best screenwriters of all time, his recent pivot to directing has generated mixed results amongst audiences. His latest effort, the Lucile Ball and Desi Arnaz biopic, Being the Ricardos, sees him deliver a more well-rounded effort. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone that the script is there but he for the most part stays out of the way of the actors who in turn help to keep the film afloat, making for a compelling watch in spite of a slightly convoluted and unfocused narrative and a slightly too long running time. Meanwhile, the casting of Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem as Lucile and Desi raised some eyebrows with the Kidman not quite looking like Ball and many having doubts about her ability of capturing her distinctive voice and Bardem not being of Cuban decent therefore maybe not getting that accent right. That being said, the two and their dynamite chemistry make for a fun dynamic to watch as the they inhabit the spirit of their characters despite those aforementioned issues.

Being the Ricardos follows Ball (Kidman) and Arnaz (Bardem) over the course of a regular week as they gear up for the latest episode of I Love Lucy. However, this week was a little different than the rest as a crisis threatened to derail them both personally and professionally. As the couple perhaps saw their end, the story flashed back to how the volatile couple first met in the industry and got married before transitioning to I Love Lucy as a means for them to work together even with their fiery personalities. That contrast between those timelines and their resulting arcs were somewhat interesting to watch but both lacked enough depth individually to make enough of a cohesive whole to care on a deeper emotional level. Though the pieces were there across both these storylines, the film choosing one over the other would have made a more engaging watch overall.

As constructed, the present storyline was the better of the two as it involved the inner workings of the show along with the bureaucracy of the time in a compelling way. Despite this, all that drama took away from the relationship at the center of Being The Ricardos which was Lucile and Desi. The story of how they first met and their early years together alongside the controversy that threatened to end them got too much to follow as that trademark Sorkin dialog, though an acquired taste, was fun to watch at times but didn’t really go anywhere in the grand scheme. However, fans of the characters, series, and/or time period are more likely to develop a stronger connection to the material and the setting. This film felt more catered to that audience anyway. If anything, Lucile and Desi, a woman and a Cuban, were outcasts and there is something to be said about watching them break through and find their place within the entertainment industry of the time.

In the end, the best part of Being The Ricardos was its performances which helped to keep the film afloat in spite of its messy narrative. The acting of course begins with Kidman and Bardem who absolutely inhabit Lucile and Desi as their chemistry made for a dynamic which was always a delight to watch. Now if only the film had given them and that dynamic more time to shine as those moments were there be it quipping and/or general playing off of each other. They are each more than capable of delivering the Sorkin dialog. The same could be said about the supporting cast for whom their great chemistry round out a stellar cast. Simmons delivers another scene-stealing performance as the surly William Frawley while Nina Arianda, Alia Shawkat, Jake Lacy, and Tony Hale, all shine as Vivian Vance, Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, and Jess Oppenheimer respectively.

At the end of the day, Being The Ricardos is a solid biopic made for fans of Lucile Ball, Desi Arnaz, and/or I Love Lucy. Sorkin’s dialog still pops but his direction doesn’t get in the way this time around but a lack of focus was ultimately its biggest detriment.

still courtesy of Amazon Studios

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.