The Bride! is finally here: Why everyone’s talking about Maggie Gyllenhaal’s brilliantly bonkers Frankenstein reboot
Well, it’s finally here. After months of speculation, a glitzy London premiere, and enough online chatter to make your head spin, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! struts into cinemas across Ireland today. And honestly? You are not going to believe what the critics are saying about it. It’s rare you get a film that’s been called both a "catastrophically poor misfire" and "exhilarating" in the same breath, but here we are.
A Monster of a Different Kind
Forget everything you think you know about Frankenstein. Gyllenhaal has taken the classic tale and thrown it into a blender with a 1930s Chicago gangster aesthetic, a dash of feminist rage, and—wait for it—full-blown musical numbers. We’ve got Jessie Buckley pulling double duty as both the author Mary Shelley and a murdered moll named Ida who gets resurrected to be a companion for Frank, played by a soulful Christian Bale. Throw in Annette Bening as a mad scientist, Penélope Cruz as a detective, and Jake Gyllenhaal as a song-and-dance man, and you’ve got a recipe for either genius or glorious disaster.
The Critics Are at War
If you’re heading to the cinema this weekend, you might want to brace yourself. This isn't one of those polite, middle-of-the-road releases. The embargo has lifted, and the takes are scorching hot and wildly divided. Here’s a taste of the battlefield:
- The raves: Some reviewers have been absolutely swept away, awarding it top marks and praising its "outrageous craziness" and "bizarre and enjoyable spectacle." They see a punk rock feminist masterpiece that swings for the fences and connects.
- The pans: On the flip side, a vocal camp has eviscerated the film, with one critic famously calling it a "howling misfire." Others describe Buckley’s performance as "astonishingly poor" and the whole endeavour as a "crushing disappointment" slathered in "ineptitude." Ouch.
- The middle ground: A few are more measured, acknowledging the immense talent on screen but lamenting that it all adds up to a self-indulgent mess that even the combined wattage of Bale and Buckley can’t save.
It’s like the critics all watched completely different movies. Some see a feminist masterpiece; others see a two-hour trainwreck. One thing everyone agrees on? Jessie Buckley gives it her absolute all, even if the end result is divisive.
So, Should You See It?
Look, if you like your cinema safe and predictable, maybe give this one a miss and stick to rewatching Father of the Bride for the hundredth time—or even a reality fix with Don't Tell the Bride if you want some chaotic nuptials without the cinematic risk. But if you’re the kind of punter who loves to see a filmmaker take a massive swing—even if they risk striking out—then The Bride! is essential viewing. It’s a hot topic, the kind of film you’ll be arguing about with your mates down the local. Is it a brilliant, warped feminist fable or a monstrous trainwreck? Honestly, it might be both.
And in a bit of random trivia, while you're pondering that, spare a thought for our native birdlife. Just as this chaotic Bride hits our screens, you might spot its namesake in the wetlands. The Australian wood duck, or maned goose as it's sometimes known, has been making itself at home here as a rare breeding resident, particularly around the Wexford Slobs since 2015. A far cry from the gothic chaos of 1930s Chicago, but proof that unique characters—whether avian or cinematic—always find a way to make an impression. For those who prefer their entertainment a little less avant-garde, perhaps Mother of the Bride is more your speed—though you won’t find any resurrected molls there.
As for the film itself? It’s the cinematic equivalent of a wood duck: slightly out of place, utterly distinctive, and impossible to ignore. Whether you end up loving it or hating it, The Bride! is a conversation starter. And in a world of cookie-cutter sequels, sometimes that’s exactly what we need.