Megalopolis ****

Not what I expected in a good way. Based on several of the reviews I read Megalopolis was "chaotic" and "incoherent." Not my experience whatsoever. 

After decades of false starts and delays, Coppola finally completed his Roman epic set in modern New York City. It's a return to form I would stand alongside his best work. There's a stately refinement running though the film that attempts to tackle big questions like: What is the role of the artist? What is money? What is power? What is the future? What are possibilities? What are the obstacles? What does it mean to be human?

These questions may induce eye rolling, if they do, Megalopolis will probably annoy you. If you're open to them, the movie will be a breath of fresh air compared to what's considered cinema in the 21st Century.

It's not perfect, far from it. Adam Driver a little uneven as the lead, but always watchable. His performance is somewhere between Jeff Goldblum and Cary Grant. Certain plot elements get underserved. The political side of the film also needed more insight.

The supporting characters are more symbols than individuals. The aesthetics are both Shakespearean and 1950s Hollywood. It's a about a society that's become self-indulgent and lost sight of the future.

Coppola excels at telling stories on a grand canvas and here we get one of his most hopeful films. It was more conventional than I expected, but had enough cinematic flourish to make it unique. The vibe of the film feels of a different time, even an alternate timeline, and I will definitely revisit.