House of Gucci parents guide

House of Gucci Parent Guide

The movie comes with a trunk full of negative content but it offers a riveting story and glossy production values.

Overall C-

In Theaters: This film exposes the web of ambition, betrayal and murder that rocked the Gucci family and fashion empire in 1995.

Release date November 24, 2021

Violence C
Sexual Content C
Profanity D
Substance Use C

Why is House of Gucci rated R? The MPAA rated House of Gucci R for language, some sexual content, and brief nudity and violence

Run Time: 157 minutes

Parent Movie Review

In reviewing House of Gucci, I struggle with a single question: Is this film a soap opera or a Shakespearean tragedy? It has elements of both: a scheming woman, a man corrupted by ambition, and plenty of adultery, treachery, fraud, and murder. The production feels too polished for a soap opera but not profound enough for Shakespeare. It is, however, an intriguing story that shows the truth of the Bard’s words, “Virtue is chok’d with foul ambition.”

Based on real events, the film begins in Milan in the 1970s when young Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) unexpectedly meets Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver), scion of the famous fashion house. After charming him at a party, Patrizia ensures that she runs into him again. Maurizio is a quiet law student and he is dazzled by the lively, flirtatious, sexy young woman and soon marries her. Disowned by his father, Maurizio is content working for the Reggiani trucking business, but Patrizia has bigger dreams. She’s married into the Gucci family and has no plans to molder away in middle class obscurity. Building a tentative friendship with Aldo Gucci, Patrizia lays the groundwork for Maurizio’s return to the family business and for a series of betrayals that will destroy the family and end in murder.

There’s no denying that House of Gucci offers a riveting viewing experience. The acting can’t be beat and Lady Gaga plays her passionate, grasping character with feline grace. Al Pacino as Aldo Gucci and Jeremy Irons as his brother Rodolfo bring weary wisdom and ruthlessness to their mission to protect both family members and the Gucci empire. The weak spot in the cast is Jared Leto whose portrayal of Paolo Gucci falls over the line from character to caricature. He hams it up, creating a character who feels cheesy instead of pathetic and unprotected.

As for production values, they are as shiny and glossy as would be expected for a movie about the inner machinations of a luxury business. The homes in Italy and Switzerland boast stunning architecture and landscaping while the wardrobes manage to make even the 1970s and 1980s look elegant. If you like period films, this will give you an eyeful of late 20th century design.

Unfortunately, the movie also comes with a trunk full of negative content. There are two dozen sexual expletives and frequent scenes of drinking and smoking. There is a scene of domestic violence and one of a man being shot. And there’s lots of sexual content. One sex scene shows Lady Gaga’s buttocks before her character has highly aerobic sex on a desk with her husband. The R rating for the movie is appropriate and should be taken seriously.

At the beginning of the film, Patrizia says of the Guccis, “It was a name that sounded so sweet. So seductive. Synonymous with wealth and power…The last name was a curse too.” There is a certain morbid fascination in watching this calculating woman exploit the weaknesses in her new family to serve her own ends. The family carries the seeds of its own destruction but there’s no doubt that Patrizia’s ruthlessness is the spark that lights the flame.

Directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Salma Hayek, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, Sophia Loren. Running time: 157 minutes. Theatrical release November 24, 2021. Updated

Watch the trailer for House of Gucci

House of Gucci
Rating & Content Info

Why is House of Gucci rated R? House of Gucci is rated R by the MPAA for language, some sexual content, and brief nudity and violence

Violence: An angry man pushes a woman against a wall and grabs her by the throat. A man urinates on a scarf out of spite. A woman strikes another woman. A man is shot and killed and another man is injured.
Sexual Content: A man and woman kiss passionately. A couple kiss passionately and the man lifts up the woman’s skirt; her thong and buttocks are clearly visible. A man and woman have sex on a desk with lots of writhing, thrusting, and moaning. A woman’s bare back is visible in a bathtub. The man also briefly buries his head in her lap. There is a scene where a woman lowers her head to a man’s lap while he’s driving; sexual activity is implied. A woman pulls a man into a bathtub with her and sex is implied. A naked woman is seen from above in a bathtub: bubble bath obscures most of her body. A male model on a catwalk wears pants with the backside cut out; his buttocks are visible. A couple has adulterous sex: the man removes her dress and drops to his knees in front of her. A woman is seen wearing a bra and panties. A fashion model is briefly seen wearing a translucent bra.
Profanity:  The movie contains two dozen sexual expletives, six scatological curses, and a few terms of deity.
Alcohol / Drug Use: Main characters frequently smoke cigarettes. Adults drink alcohol with meals, at parties, and alone to cope with stress.
Other: There are several scenes involving flashing or strobing lights that could be problematic for people with migraines or seizure disorders.

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House of Gucci Parents' Guide

To find out how historically accurate the movie is, you can check out this link:

History vs Hollywood: House of Gucci

Why do you think Patrizia tries to reconcile her husband with his family? Is it because she believes in family unity or is it an attempt to gain family wealth? To what extent do you think her actions are motivated by selfish goals versus genuine desires to help her husband?


Home Video

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This is Lady Gaga’s second leading role, following on her acclaimed performance in A Star Is Born.

Adam Driver’s career has taken off in the past few years with roles in movies as diverse as The Last Duel, Silence, Annette, The Dead Don’t Die, The Report, and the final Star Wars trilogy. In Marriage Story, he plays a man who’s surprised to see his marriage crumble around him.