As "Being The Ricardos" (20211 release; 133 ,in.) opens, several talking heads, mostly "I Love Lucy" staff writers, are giving their perspectives on the mammoth show that it was, and the events that hit the show in a one-week span in 1952. We then go back in time as Desi comes home and he and Lucille start arguing immediately, only to kiss and make up. It is "Monday, Table Read", and the show's production staff is gathered to run through that week's script. But dark clouds hang over Desi and Lucille... At this point we are 10 min into the movie.
Couple of comments: this is the latest from writer-director Aaron Sorkin ("Molly's Game", "The Trial of The Chicago 7"). Here he goes behind the curtain to give us a glimpse of what life for Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz was like both within the TV hit show, and outside. Not that the film isn't titled "Being Ball and Arnaz", but instead "Being the Ricardos" (the TV characters). Despite what looks to be an amazing production set and a massive amount of other talent attached to this film, I found the overall viewing experience strangely off-putting. I never did buy into Nicole Kidman's role as Lucille/Lucy, nor for that matter into Javier Bardem's role as Desi/Ricky. It all felt so... clinical, and very much 'staged' (in fact, the scenes involving the making of the weekly TV show felt as if it was a theater production). All of this is a bit surprising as Aaron Sorkin's track record not only as a director but even more so as a writer ("The Social Network", "Moneyball", "Steve Jobs", just to name those) is nothing short of stellar, but here the sum of the parts simply doesn't add up.
"Being the Ricardos" was given a limited 2 week theater run before shifting a few days ago to Amazon Prime, where I caught it. I couldn't help but be disappointed with this film. But you don't have to take my word for it, and I encourage you to check it out, be it on Amazon Prime, Amazon Instant Video, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.
