By Robert Yaniz Jr.

DAY 16 OF THE 2018 HOLIDAY BINGE

A fundamentally flawed story undermines the ambition of this would-be social commentary.

THE HYPE

Whenever it strikes, tragedy tends to leave a permanent mark. Such is certainly the case with writer/director Brady Corbet’s latest film, Vox Lux. Among critics, the film has proved divisive — with some labeling it “pretentious” and others heralding its “brilliant” analysis of modern culture. Naturally, this polarizing response ensured that the screener for the film would earn a place among this month’s reviews. However, this alone could not prepare this viewer for the strange experience that awaited him.

THE STORY

Mining news headlines for inspiration is, of course, a tactic that writers have relied on for ages. Yet, Vox Lux feel less like a meditation on the troubling violence in our nation and more like an exploitation of so much real-life bloodshed. The film centers on Celeste (Tomorrowland standout Raffey Cassidy), a survivor of said tragedy who grows up to become an emotionally troubled pop star played by Natalie Portman. Though the film intends to explore the link between pop culture and violence, it’s all pomp and no circumstance.

THE CAST

The failure of Vox Lux, thankfully, does not fall on the feet of the gifted cast. Portman is overwrought here, but the character is a mess on the page. So it’s impossible to judge whether her work is spot-on or Razzie levels of terrible. Cassidy, Stacy Martin and Jude Law do what they can with the nearly incomprehensible script, with Cassidy saddled with the interesting choice (not that it amounts to anything) of playing both young Celeste as well as the teenage daughter who may be destined to repeat her mistakes.

THE PRODUCTION

With the story a mess and the performances simply adequate, perhaps one might be thinking that Corbet’s storytelling prowess elevates the material. That’s not the case here, as he employs eye-rolling tactics like time-lapsing right through key events and an overreliance on Willem Dafoe narration for critical exposition. Caught up in a two-hour game of “tell, don’t show,” at least viewers can find some respite in the original songs by Sia, which are pleasant if not revelatory as performed by Portman and Cassidy.

THE VERDICT

The concept behind Vox Lux could have made for a compelling film. The trauma we suffer in our youths often shapes the adults we turn out to be, informing not only our upbringing but also our perspective on the world around us. But Corbet’s film lacks focus, direction and the refinement to communicate that message effectively. Instead, it piles on theme after theme, hoping that the cacophony will somehow coalesce into something magical like the orchestration of Celeste’s dance-heavy tracks in the laborious finale. No such luck.

Vox Lux stars Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin and Jennifer Ehle and is directed by Brady Corbet.