Megalopolis
Coppola's experimental passion project about architecture and time requires patience for pure artistic indulgence
The brief
Coppola's passion project feels like a fever dream filtered through 40 years of Hollywood wealth and isolation, resulting in something simultaneously grandiose and completely unhinged. Adam Driver delivers big theatrical speeches about architecture and time while the camera swoops around gilded sets that look like a Vegas casino's idea of ancient Rome. The whole thing moves with the logic of someone's uncle explaining his novel at Thanksgiving dinner, equal parts pretentious and fascinating in its complete commitment to its own bizarre vision. If you've ever wondered what happens when one of cinema's greatest directors gets unlimited creative freedom and zero studio notes, this is your answer.
The verdict
If you're fascinated by uncompromising artistic vision and enjoy watching legendary directors completely unleash their wildest impulses without restraint, this grandiose fever dream about architecture and time is absolutely essential viewing. If you prefer coherent storytelling over theatrical spectacle or get impatient with self-indulgent passion projects, you'll find this 138-minute Roman epic exhausting and pretentious.
Watch with
- 👥 Film school friends who appreciate audacious failures
- ⚠️ Avoid if you need conventional storytelling
Heads up
- Political corruption and power struggles (moderate)
- Complex themes about urban planning and society (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Cast
- Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne
Official synopsis
In a futuristic New York known as New Rome, visionary architect Cesar Catilina dreams of building "Megalopolis,"
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Akira (1988)
Both envision dystopian futures where visionary power reshapes corrupted cities.
Total runtime: 2h 18m + 2h 4m = 4h 22m
