Reviews
Hedda
Having escaped the clutches of the Disney machine, Nia DaCosta returns to more intimate filmmaking with Hedda, an updated take on Henrik Ibsen’s 1891 stage play Hedda Gabler debuting on Prime Video. Following the troubled experience of The Marvels, this film marks a bold and wise pivot for DaCosta. It proves that her impeccable filmmaking skill and writing craft are still flourishing without the meddling hands of a corporate studio.
The movie predominantly focuses on Hedda Gabler (Tessa Thompson) and her husband George Tesman (Tom Bateman), who are living a superficial and lavish lifestyle in a majestic country estate. On the surface, everything seems perfect, but behind closed doors they are completely broke and on their knees. Their last hope of maintaining this façade lies in George’s potential professorship and the substantial endowment that comes with it. In an effort to seal the deal, Hedda throws an exuberant party, inviting the key decision-makers in a bid to sway them towards a favourable decision.
There’s only one problem. Just as things appear to be going swimmingly, in steps Eileen Lovborg (Nina Hoss) with her love interest Thea Clifton (Imogen Poots). It quickly becomes apparent that Eileen and Hedda share a complicated history, but the bigger sting in the tale is that Eileen also presents the strongest competition for George’s professorship. And therein lies the intrigue of the film, as it hones in on Hedda and how far she is willing to go to protect the luxurious lifestyle she has so meticulously built for herself.
The biggest deviation from the source material DaCosta takes is converting the previously male character Ejlert Lovborg into the female character Eileen Lovborg. It’s a risky choice, but one that definitely works. The gender switch adds a modern twist to a period drama that could have easily felt by the book. The intrigue of their relationship dynamic is heightened substantially, and the scenes between Thompson and Hoss are without a doubt the most memorable and exciting in the film.
Hedda is one of the most intriguing characters of the year. The way she carefully places her dominos throughout the night, orchestrating a master plan to achieve the outcome she wants, is extremely satisfying and keeps the audience on edge, just waiting for the dominos to fall. She is presented as a master manipulator, and it comes across brilliantly. You almost get the sense that she is playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers. It is one of the most enjoyable elements of the entire movie.
For a character of Hedda’s nature to work, it needs to be powered by an equally strong performance, and I am so pleased to say Tessa Thompson more than meets the challenge. There are moments in her performance that are simply phenomenal. Even in the slower segments of the movie, Thompson keeps audiences captivated, and she does that almost single handedly. There is support from a strong cast, but Hoss delivers the only other truly memorable performance.
The movie is masterfully adapted from stage to screen, and Nia DaCosta deserves an endless amount of credit for that. There are various twists and turns along the way that have been added or slightly altered from the original source material, but I would argue that it is for the better. They make for a more enthralling experience and ensure that the audience’s attention remains firmly on the film and the evolving cat-and-mouse nature of the final act.
Period dramas like this aren’t really my cup of tea, and the first act definitely felt slow. Everything unfolds in a very methodical and meticulous way, and it wouldn’t surprise me if many casual viewers who stumble across it on Prime Video turn it off before it really gets interesting in the second half. That slowness is probably the biggest downside for me personally, but I can separate my own biases and see how carefully the story has been thought out. Viewers who do stick around will definitely get to reap the rewards of that careful build.
Off the back of The Marvels and just before the release of the 28 Years Later sequel, DaCosta perhaps needed a hit, and Hedda is exactly what was required. A fantastically written film with some of the strongest female-led performances of the year, it explores themes that will undoubtedly resonate with female audiences. Hedda is well worth watching on Prime Video.
