I'm not sure Sorkin is capable of writing a script that isn't funny, fascinating, and entirely engrossing. His story about Lucielle Ball and Desi Arnaz is a drama about a powerful progressive woman, her loving if philandering husband who supports all she does, and the world that doesn't quite feel comfortable with them despite being the most popular people in the U S of A. It is outright hilarious and sentimentally touching. Perhaps it is a bit idealized versions of the two and their story, but perhaps there is a reason for the rose coloured glasses in use here.
Kidman avoids doing the impersonation sort of performance, except when playing Lucy playing her TV character, Lucy. Instead she embodies Ball's strength and commanding presence, her passionate views, and her sensitivity. Bardem does lean into the Desi impersonation a bit but still gives him a complexity that shows his love for his wife even while he lets her down. We know their marriage won't survive much longer but in real life they still came close to the ideals Sorkin wants to imbue.
The title is Being the Ricardos because while it is about their impact on pop culture it is also about a real relationship, an imperfect one but one that still has meaning, still provides its partners with fulfilment. Sorkin doesn't villainize anyone, instead showing us the humanity in the two.
Like with many of Sorkins writings, where his weakness lies is in rewatchability. Most of his stories I enjoy very much but rarely do I feel a lot of desire to revisit them. I felt that again here, that little would pull me back into this story.
I like Sorkin movies because he imagines a world where everyone is intelligent, everyone witty. Yes perhaps this is idealized but it is about maybe how we got here. Ball is one of the most influential figures in Hollywood history and helped to craft the modern cinematic and television world whether it is comedy or Star Trek or whatever. This is the story of how a talented and confident woman's will helped get us all here.
Being The Ricardos
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, J.K. Simmons, Tony Hale, John Rubinstein, Alia Shawkat, Linda Lavin, Jake Lacy, Ronny Cox, Clark Gregg, Nina Arianda
Writer/Director: Aaron Sorkin
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