Carl Roberts 
“Hedda is a wickedly delicious, cutting, witty drama that should land Tessa Thompson a much-deserved Academy Award Nomination as Best Actress.”
Based on the play Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen, Hedda is opening in select cinemas. It will premiere on Prime Video next week. This reimagining of the classic play updates the setting to 1950s England. Tessa Thompson takes on the role of Hedda. She is newly married but finds herself feeling bored with her marriage and life. The film features Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock, and Nina Hoss in supporting roles, and is both written and directed by Nia DaCosta. Can Tessa Thompson and Nia DaCosta create an exciting and innovative reimagining, or is it better to leave the original property untouched?
PREMISE
A provocative reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play, Hedda follows enigmatic newlywed Hedda (Tessa Thompson). She looks calm on the outside, but inside, she struggles with a growing sense of discontent. It threatens to explode when the brilliant and charismatic Eileen Lovberg (Nina Hoss) reenters her life. Over the course of a raucous party, the high and low of society endure the consequences. This dangerous and unknowable woman yearns for a past love. What ensues is a ruthless game of manipulation, where lust, jealousy, and betrayal collide. Written and directed by Nia DaCosta, Hedda is a daring exploration of power and desire. Additionally, it highlights a woman’s determination to break free from confinement.
THOUGHTS
The film is a wonderful and original take on the source material. As you would expect, it doesn’t faithfully follow the narrative of the play, but it does enough to make it memorable. With a wit that will have the audience gasping at times, the film holds the audience’s attention throughout. With a screenplay that will have you hooked as well as roaring with laughter at times, you’ve not experienced anything like it for a long time. The drama builds throughout, reaching a shattering crescendo. It has us gripping the edges of our seats tightly. It is a far cry from earlier in the film. At that time, we find ourselves wiping tears of laughter from our eyes at the cutting wit provided.
TESSA THOMPSON
In what surely must be an Academy Award-nominated performance for Best Actress, Tessa Thompson is a revelation. She is terrific as Hedda. From the second we first meet her, we are astounded and drawn in by such an acting performance. It is up there with the best of the best. The actress is simply Hedda throughout. She doesn’t just encompass the role; she allows it to consume her. She has Hedda’s cruelty, cutting barbs, and scheming ways emanate from her pores. The audience cannot tear their eyes from the actress as she gives a sheer masterclass as the title character. We can actually believe that she really is an English socialite. One who is cruel and scheming and has virtually no shame.
Deep down, however, Hedda is yearning for her lost love. That this lover happens to be a woman, Eileen Lovborg (played to sheer perfection by German actress Nina Hoss, surely in line for a best supporting actress nod), is never questioned, despite the 1950s setting. Instead of making a big deal of it, which would be scandalous and illegal in England at that time, the film elegantly bypasses the revelation, making it something we don’t bat an eyelid at. Eileen has a new lover, Thea Clifton (played by Imogen Poots, holding her own here), but the attraction between Hedda and Eileen is still there. Hedda plays on this, even stealing a manuscript to ruin Eileen, putting her husband, George Tesman (a nice turn from Tom Bateman), the frontrunner for a prominent position. But will Hedda’s scheming become her downfall when everything she’s doing starts to unravel?
WRITING AND DIRECTION
The writing and direction from Nia DaCosta are superb. Again, these could lead to some award nominations, as they are genius. The way the director frames the interior and especially the exterior shots, the way she has the scenes lit, and the way she directs her cast deserve recognition. Every scene features glossy, colourful and winning backgrounds, with the foreground not obscuring what’s happening elsewhere in the scene. The colours are vibrant, vivid and stunning, lending the perfect tint to every sequence. Even the scenes in the early morning light are superb, with the shadows and the low light being utilised expertly.
Her screenplay adapts and reinvents the original play expertly. The events that are played out here, the drama, the scheming, the fall of some of those of virtue, make the film that much richer. Some people may think the film falls into the Saltburn category. To a certain extent, they are right. But both films diverge enough for them both to stand apart, to be considered on their own merits. Nia DaCosta has crafted a wonderful tale, one that stands out, making the film a must-see amongst the year’s best films.
VERDICT
Hedda is a wickedly delicious, cutting, witty drama that should land Tessa Thompson a much-deserved Academy Award Nomination as Best Actress. The richness and enjoyment she brings to her performance cannot be understated. The same goes for Nina Hoss as Eileen Lovborg. Both actresses play off each other brilliantly, trying to one-up each other at every turn, making the film that much spicier at times. The fact that Eileen knows exactly what Hedda is, her ways, her wickedness, and her scheming adds a more dramatic tinge to the proceedings. For everything Hedda plans and attempts, Eileen is almost a step ahead of her. Almost. Hedda is a bit too clever for that. Maybe too clever. By the time we reach the climax, we fear for both of them.
The structure Nia DaCosta has created and used here suits the film perfectly. It showcases Nia DaCosta’s filmmaking prowess to the full. The film deserves a cinematic audience, rather than being relegated to a TV screen. The film deserves better than that. It deserves to be seen on the big screen. It is much better than some of the big movies currently showing at the local cinema. The wit, cruelty, drama, and complete storytelling on offer here is beyond reproach. This is the kind of film that cinema was made for. Do yourself a favour. Don’t wait a week or so and watch the film on streaming. Take your partner out for the night, buy them a soda and popcorn, settle down and enjoy a real movie. The film could grab some Oscars come March of next year. And, to be honest, it deserves to.
Hedda is playing in selected cinemas now, ahead of premiering on Prime Video on October 29th.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
