This was a big box
office dud for Warren Beatty (bigger than Ishtar in some regards), but Rules
Don’t Apply is a sweet and absolutely winning comedy drama that is anchored by
some great performances. The chemistry
between Alden Ehrenreich and Lilly Collins, who play star-crossed lovers who
both work for Howard Hughes, is genuine.
Ehrenreich in particular is excellent and I for one can’t wait to see
how he’ll fair playing a young Han Solo.
However, it’s the dynamite
performance by Beatty as the eccentric Howard Hughes that dominates the
film. He is clearly having a blast
playing the increasingly crazy billionaire.
Beatty gets a lot of mileage out of Hughes’ bizarre quirks and his
antics are often fun to watch.
Yes, the love triangle
that develops between the three leads is predictable. Yes, you can already probably guess how it
all will turn out. Still, the charm and
wit in which Ehrenreich, Collins, and Beatty play their characters really resonates
with the audience. The supporting cast,
which includes Martin Sheen, Annette Bening, and Matthew Broderick is also
stellar.
Overall, Rules Don’t
Apply is much more successful at capturing the nostalgia, glamour, and
romanticism of the Golden Age of Hollywood than La-La Land. While that film felt like it was
pre-fabricated and homogenized, Beatty captures Tinsel Town in a much more
interesting and captivating way. Also,
Collins’ title song is a heck of a lot better than the ones Emma Stone sang,
that’s for sure.
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