Beatty doing Beatty, and by that I mean that in his last (and almost certainly ever) directorial and acting endeavour, he’s doing his usual thing. Squinting, brows furrowed, teeth clenched, but mouth always open, having sex with 25 years-olds and always sounding like he’s never quite sure what his next line is going to be. And for some strange reason,* I eat it up, every time.
*
In many ways, this film is bizarrely edited and not his best. It’s wonky, jumps from one idea to the other, the score is oddly picked and overall just didn’t work for me. I only watched this because I’m on a self-imposed Warren Beatty marathon and I want to get to the bottom of his filmography before 2026 strikes. I only have like 3/4 films left.
The first part of the movie has a strange, ominous vibe and with Howard Hugues never shown on screen, only heard, I thought Warren Beatty was pulling an Arlésienne on us. One final ego trip of a former playboy who was once so devastatingly beautiful that every woman (and I’m sure most men) were at his feet now refusing to show himself as an old man. At least that’s how it first felt like.
As the movie progresses, it clearly shows Warren Beatty as he always was : so hard to get, that you find yourself only wanting more. By taking his time before showing his face, Beatty is essentially pulling the oldest trick in his book. He withholds, he delays, he makes you wait.
And the only 23 films in over 65 years of career, the wicked reputation and his insane contribution to cinema and the New Hollywood movement are just further proofs that Warren Beatty is one of the greats.
Beatty doing Beatty, and by that I mean that in his last (and almost certainly ever) directorial and acting endeavour, he’s doing his usual thing. Squinting, brows furrowed, teeth clenched, but mouth always open, having sex with 25 years-olds and always sounding like he’s never quite sure what his next line is going to be. And for some strange reason,* I eat it up, every time.
*
In many ways, this film is bizarrely edited and not his best. It’s wonky, jumps from one idea to the other, the score is oddly picked and overall just didn’t work for me. I only watched this because I’m on a self-imposed Warren Beatty marathon and I want to get to the bottom of his filmography before 2026 strikes. I only have like 3/4 films left.
The first part of the movie has a strange, ominous vibe and with Howard Hugues never shown on screen, only heard, I thought Warren Beatty was pulling an Arlésienne on us. One final ego trip of a former playboy who was once so devastatingly beautiful that every woman (and I’m sure most men) were at his feet now refusing to show himself as an old man. At least that’s how it first felt like.
As the movie progresses, it clearly shows Warren Beatty as he always was : so hard to get, that you find yourself only wanting more. By taking his time before showing his face, Beatty is essentially pulling the oldest trick in his book. He withholds, he delays, he makes you wait.
And the only 23 films in over 65 years of career, the wicked reputation and his insane contribution to cinema and the New Hollywood movement are just further proofs that Warren Beatty is one of the greats.
