With a $120 million budget and decades of dreaming, Francis Ford Coppola crafts an eccentric yet deeply resonant film about the future and the past.
By Dana Barbuto/Boston Movie News
In “Megalopolis,” Francis Ford Coppola unleashes a fever-dream spectacle, throwing in everything he loves and daring us to keep up. Challenge accepted.
After a 13-year hiatus, the five-time Oscar-winning director, who has already given us so much with two “Godfathers,” “The Outsiders,” and “Apocalypse Now,” returns with the wild and weird “Megalopolis,” a self-funded $120 million passion project that has been brewing in his mind for four decades. To say the movie is deeply personal is an understatement. At 85, and after losing his wife of 61 years last April, Coppola has created a film that goes for broke. The ambitious story covers everything from contentious political clashes to love triangles, sex scandals, and star-crossed lovers, with science fiction elements woven into the broader narrative, alongside gladiator fights and chariot races. Are you not entertained?
The plot follows Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a visionary architect in a futuristic New York City dubbed “New Rome.” Catilina has developed a substance called Megalon, which allows him to manipulate time and space. When he shouts, “Time, stop,” everything freezes. A dreamer with a utopian vision, Catilina’s preaches: “Don’t let the now destroy the forever.” But his grand plans run into resistance from Mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who is determined to preserve the status quo. The conflict deepens when Cicero’s daughter, Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), falls for Catilina, amplifying both the political and emotional tension. It’s Shakespearean in scope, complete with Latin dialogue and Marcus Aurelius quotes.
Coppola covers much ground in a complicated plot with many players, including Laurence Fishburne, Jon Voight, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Dustin Hoffman, Talia Shire, and Kathryn Hunter. Plaza stands out as Wow Platinum—an unhinged character with a name as wild as her actions. First a mistress to Catilina, she later marries Hamilton Crassus III, Voight’s billionaire banker, and together with his son, Clodio (LaBeouf), a wicked power struggle involving sex and money takes shape. Despite the high-minded themes and complex world-building, Coppola can’t resist having a little fun, either. In between the heady, philosophical musings (there’s a lot of pontificating) and political intrigue, he gets a bit naughty with a freaky sex scene, a hard-on joke that hits the bullseye, Vestal virgins, and more. A little mischief goes a long way.
Sometimes, watching “Megalopolis” is like trying to process five different movies at once. Some moments will make you laugh, others (like Driver’s “Hamlet” soliloquy) will leave you scratching your head. One scene even made me jump out of my seat. It’s a film that demands patience and will undoubtedly reward multiple viewings; it lingers in your mind like a puzzle. I probably absorbed only a fraction of it.
Coppola has said he poured everything he loves into this film, and it shows. The frenetic energy propelling “Megalopolis” is full of playful touches—like a tuba player from a parade scene sneaking off to party with two beautiful women, a nod to Coppola’s own time as a tuba player in military school, and sweet justice for band geeks.
At its heart, “Megalopolis” is about time—about the future we dream of and the past we cling to. Coppola, now 85, is facing time head-on. The film is dedicated to his late wife, Eleanor, and you can feel his reflections on love, loss, and legacy coursing through the story. It’s a disjointed culmination of everything Coppola has learned and experienced as a filmmaker and a person.
In a unique twist, select theaters feature a live component where an audience member “interviews” an onscreen Cesar, breaking the fourth wall and drawing viewers deeper into the film’s surreal world. (Note: This feature may not be available at all screenings, but if you’re lucky enough to experience it, it’s a clever touch.) I also recommend seeing it in IMAX, where the film’s stunning visuals—especially Milena Canonero’s eye-popping costumes—genuinely shine. Canonero, a four-time Oscar winner, transforms yards of silk and cotton into gorgeous off-the-shoulder dresses adorned with gold-leaf embellishments and paired with strappy sandals.
“Megalopolis” may not be for everyone, but if nothing else, at least the tuba player scored.
‘Megalopolis’
Rated: R for sexual content, nudity, drug use, language, and some violence.
Cast: Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunter, and Dustin Hoffman
Director/Writer: Francis Ford Coppola
Runtime: 138 minutes
Where to watch: In theaters Sept. 27
Grade: B+
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