Nia DaCosta brings a feverish intensity to her adaptation of Ibsen's classic play, Hedda Gabler, infusing the 1950s English countryside with an exotic sensuality reminiscent of Downton Abbey. The result is a surreal, sometimes baffling melodrama that revels in its own absurdities.
Tessa Thompson shines as Hedda, a free-spirited seductress who has married well to live a life of luxury, but harbors secrets and desires that threaten to upend her stifling existence. Her character is the catalyst for a wild, Dionysian party that descends into chaos, fueled by Hedda's manipulative nature.
Supporting Thompson is an excellent cast, including Kathryn Hunter as Bertie, a tart-tongued Mrs. Patmore-like figure who pours scorn on her employers with authenticity. Tom Bateman plays George Tesman, Hedda's milquetoast husband, whose academic ambitions are threatened by his own financial woes.
The arrival of Nina Hoss's Eileen Lövborg, Hedda's former lover and a brilliant classicist seeking the same professorship, sets off a chain reaction of events that blur the lines between seduction, desire, and violence. The film's exploration of racial difference and prejudice is explicit and thought-provoking, but its tone veers wildly from Hopper-esque excess to Ibsen-esque tragic intensity.
DaCosta's vision for Hedda Gabler is a true original, one that defies easy categorization or summary. It's a movie that demands to be indulged, with its outlandish set pieces, decadent parties, and morally ambiguous characters. Love it or hate it, this adaptation of Ibsen's classic play is sure to leave you talking long after the curtain falls.
Tessa Thompson shines as Hedda, a free-spirited seductress who has married well to live a life of luxury, but harbors secrets and desires that threaten to upend her stifling existence. Her character is the catalyst for a wild, Dionysian party that descends into chaos, fueled by Hedda's manipulative nature.
Supporting Thompson is an excellent cast, including Kathryn Hunter as Bertie, a tart-tongued Mrs. Patmore-like figure who pours scorn on her employers with authenticity. Tom Bateman plays George Tesman, Hedda's milquetoast husband, whose academic ambitions are threatened by his own financial woes.
The arrival of Nina Hoss's Eileen Lövborg, Hedda's former lover and a brilliant classicist seeking the same professorship, sets off a chain reaction of events that blur the lines between seduction, desire, and violence. The film's exploration of racial difference and prejudice is explicit and thought-provoking, but its tone veers wildly from Hopper-esque excess to Ibsen-esque tragic intensity.
DaCosta's vision for Hedda Gabler is a true original, one that defies easy categorization or summary. It's a movie that demands to be indulged, with its outlandish set pieces, decadent parties, and morally ambiguous characters. Love it or hate it, this adaptation of Ibsen's classic play is sure to leave you talking long after the curtain falls.
Tessa Thompson as Hedda Gabler? More like Tessa Thompson as Hedda GOALS 
[GIF: a cartoonish, over-the-top Hedda Gabler character dancing and sipping champagne]
[GIF: a GIF of a person's face melting away from shock]
[GIF: a scene from Hedda Gabler with all the characters at a wild party, complete with champagne toasts and decadent costumes]
[GIF: a GIF of Tom Bateman's character looking like he just got punched in the gut]
! The set design was insane, like a cross between Downton Abbey and a wild 70s party 
. Tessa Thompson absolutely killed it as Hedda, she's got this whole free-spirited seductress vibe going on 
. The way DaCosta blends excess with Ibsen-esque drama is pretty fascinating, but sometimes it feels like it's going too far 
. it's like, we gotta own our true selves and desires, you know? and sometimes that means taking risks and being a little wild 
. da costa's direction is like, totally on point - she knows how to create this crazy, intense atmosphere that just pulls you in 
. anyway, just food for thought... what are your thoughts on living authentically? 
, and omg, Nia DaCosta totally brought the heat 
... or maybe it was just a hot mess? Either way, the cast was on point, especially Kathryn Hunter and Tom Bateman. The way DaCosta blended period drama with some modern flair was genius 
. Not sure if I'd call it a masterpiece or a trainwreck, but it's def staying in my head 
. The supporting cast is great, I'll give them that, but it's not enough to save this trainwreck of an adaptation from itself 
I just saw Hedda Gabler last night 
and I'm still reeling from the experience 
! Nia DaCosta brought a whole new level of vibe to this classic play 
, and Tessa Thompson as Hedda? 
! I'm not sure what to make of the whole racial tension thing...it was a bit much at times 
. One minute it's all lush and opulent, next minute we're in some wild party that defies all logic 
. I'm not sure if I love or hate this adaptation, but I do know I need a coffee break after watching it 
️.
. And can we talk about the cast? Kathryn Hunter's tart tongue is on point, got me laughing like my grandma at her kitchen table