Maggie Gyllenhaal delivers a visually arresting film, with Jessie Buckley ravaging every scene and a low-key, Frankenstein-esque Christian Bale by her side. Gyllenhaal makes some bold stylistic choices early on that don’t fully pay off, but they remain undeniably intriguing. This unconventional love story is bound to divide audiences.
Set in 1930s Chicago, Dr. Frankenstein’s monster, Frank (Bale), seeks a companion for his lonely existence. Frank finds Dr. Euphonious (Annette Bening), a student of Dr. Frankenstein’s work, to bring his new bride (Buckley) to life.
Ida, the Bride, has no memory of her past life—or how she ended up six feet under before being reanimated.
Gyllenhaal introduces an angry Mary Shelley into the mix, occasionally possessing the Bride and venting her own frustrations as a woman in the 19th century. Buckley portrays both Shelley and the Bride in distinct and impressive ways. While it’s an interesting idea to bring in Shelley’s ghost, the concept doesn’t cohesively play out or fully pay off.
Buckley steals every scene with Harley Quinn–level energy opposite Bale’s docile monster. The pair complements each other through their strong performances. This Frankenstein isn’t monstrous in size, but his stitched-up, grotesque body parts make him one—and Bale bares the shame of his creation.
Gyllenhaal proves herself to be a visionary. The Bride! is visually stunning, with great performances from the leads. Bening also leaves an impression, as does Gyllenhaal’s brother, Jake Gyllenhaal, as a Fred Astaire–type star.
While certain choices don’t work as well as others, the love story breaks through. You find yourself rooting for poor old Frankie to finally find love.
The Bride! is not a mainstream film, but rather an esoteric and artistic endeavor from Maggie Gyllenhaal.
