Being the Ricardos (2021)

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were principal in creating one of the most funny and iconic sitcoms ever. This film presents a supposed week in their careers when Lucy was being hounded by the House Un-American Activities Committee while also dealing with the announcement of her second pregnancy and Desi’s many infidelities. My mother is a huge I Love Lucy fan and I have followed so much of Ball’s career before and after that I might be too knowledgeable about the subjects as presented. Nicole Kidman embodies barely an ounce of Lucy’s spark and personality. Her Australian accent came out throughout the film, while Javier Bardem as Desi didn’t seem to bother altering his Spanish accent to sound a bit like Desi’s Cuban, though he at least had some of his charm. While artistic license is expected in the writing of such a film, all of the obstacles that were faced in the movie felt far-fetched for a single week and indeed in reality were spread through the six years I Love Lucy was on the air. J.K. Simmons and Nina Arianda fared much better as William Frawley and Vivian Vance; they at least conveyed the spirit of their characters. I also liked the believable pairing of Alia Shawkat and Linda Lavin as the same character at different ages. Whatever modern message is being presented in the film is muddied, especially with allowing J. Edgar Hoover to the be hero in the situation.

Oscar Nominations: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role; Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role; Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role