Since its premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in May, each piece of information that came out about Francis Ford Coppola’s self-funded passion project, Megalopolis, made me all the more eager to see it. The summer was full of news stories and think pieces about the struggle to find a distributor for a $120 million budget movie that was almost certain not to make a profit and the new technology developed (and then abandoned) by Amazon that would allow audiences to have their questions answered by Adam Driver’s character Cesar Catilina. Eventually, a distributor was secured (with Coppola shouldering marketing costs himself), Amazon’s technology was replaced with a live performer in certain, “Ultimate Experience” screenings (not included at Regal Ithaca Mall, unfortunately), and the time had finally come for me to see Coppola’s decades-in-the-making epic. The question became — was all the effort worth it?
Megalopolis is unlike anything else I have ever seen. Within the American Republic, architect and inventor Cesar Catilina comes into conflict with New Rome mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito) as he attempts to use his inventive new material, Megalon, to create a utopia — Megalopolis. Catilina’s idealism irritates Cicero, but inspires his daughter, Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel) to become his muse. Meanwhile, Wow Platinum (Aubrey Plaza) and Clodio Pulcher (Shia LaBeouf) grapple for power, all narrated by Cicero’s driver, Fundi Romaine (Laurence Fishburne). At times the dialogue shifts into blocks of Shakespeare quotations, at others it is performed in spoken Latin. Megalopolis is a sprawling, borderline-incomprehensible mess — and I think I loved it.
In its title card, Megalopolis is rightfully labeled a fable — but I believe that there is something timely beneath all the absurdity. The central power struggle sees Catalina, an intellectual and lover of science and literature, dream of a future utopia where people can be inspired by the world around them, without caring what happens in the present. Meanwhile, Mayor Cicero argues that reforms are necessary to help the city right away, without ever imagining what the future of New Rome will be. Although the film takes place in an alternate reality, Coppola clearly parallels current-day politics, with Clodio Pulcher’s mob sporting red caps and “Make Rome Great Again” signs. These issues are wrapped up quickly in the admittedly-haphazard third act, but with how many philosophical questions Coppola packs into its two-hour runtime, it seems purposeful that Megalopolis introduces more food for thought than answers. It almost demands a second viewing to truly grapple with all Coppola has to say here about creation, idealism and time.
The humanity of Megalopolis is best seen in Adam Driver’s performance, the standout of the film. As Catalina, Driver grapples with grief and mortality. He visibly transforms throughout the film from the standoffish man who brushes off Julia’s intellect because of her affinity for partying to a smiling, softer version of himself as romance blossoms between them. Catalina’s perspective shifts greatly throughout the film, and Driver’s performance makes this clear to the audience. With a screenplay as inaccessible as Megalopolis, having an actor so clearly understand the material and communicate it so expertly to the audience is invaluable.
Megalopolis is far from perfect, but it’s refreshing to watch something made with so much passion. It’s absurd, but that is a testament to its creativity, something that’s been lacking from the mainstream film industry. Megalopolis definitely won’t be for everyone, but I’m grateful it exists.
Nicholas York is a sophomore in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He can be reached at [email protected].