At its essence, Megalopolis is a reflection of its creator, for better or worse. Francis Ford Coppola has wanted to make this movie since 1977, and in every detail, every pore of the film, it's obvious that he thinks this is a very important film, revolutionary even. That doesn't really translate to the audience, which means that a lot of what he's intended as thought-provoking and important will come across as nothing but pompousity. That doesn't mean that there aren't serious sparks of genius in the final product. The cinematography is beautiful, whether it's artificial and dreamlike, perfectly lit and expensive, or soaked in shadow and noir. The acting performances are a constant delight, and a good portion of the cast makes recurring bizarre decisions, most probably cheered on by the director. Aubrey Plaza is perfectly in her element, an agent of chaos and allure. Shia LaBeouf, more interesting than I can ever remember. Adam Driver, elevating every single scene. He's funny, odd, and charismatic. The cast is vast and interesting, and there's far too many to mention, but finally I'd like to highlight Kathryn Hunter. Her character brings a little bit of heart into the film, and it's all in her acting and screen presence.
The film has several lovely, meaningful moments, scenes, and even sequences, but as a whole, it's a mess. I haven't mentioned the script, and it's certainly the largest culprit for why this film doesn't exactly work. Coppola has overcomplivated all of his fairly simple ideas and dreams into this puzzle, seemingly for no reason beyond grandiosity. But ultimately, I do appreciate that this exists. It's an impossible movie that shouldn't by any rules or customs of the industry be here. Coppola's filmmaking is audacious, and his work is very earnest, some of the most earnest filmmaking there ever will be at a high budget range like this. He loves what he's doing, I just wish it translated better. Good for him for investing all that money in this dream project, it's one of the wildest swings ever taken in this industry, and I'll always respect him for that. I'm glad I got to see it in a theater, as I might never revisit it, and I don't know if I would've appreciated it at all if I had languished through it at home. I'd recommend it, there certainly won't be another Megalopolis this year or any year.
