VOX LUX
Natalie Portman shines in one of her most audacious roles yet as a pop mega-star spiraling out of control in Brady Corbet’s stylish indictment of our cultural generation.
Beginning in 1999 with a violent mass tragedy, a young Celeste is rushed to the hospital, barely surviving a harrowing encounter. With her loyal sister by her side, she recovers. The duo puts their grief to song, composing a memorable ballad sung by Celeste that becomes an anthem to an ailing nation. Her parents hire a scrupulous manager (Jude Law, who relishes his role with a sleazy demure) to take her under his wing. Under his tutelage, her career skyrockets to superstardom, with all the vice that comes along. As the film enters its second phase set in 2017, Celeste (now played by a transformative Natalie Portman) has grown into her early 30s. Though praised by legions of fans, her private life has been plagued by scandals and addiction, a strained relationship with her sister, and a teenage daughter of her own that she neglected to raise. As the launch of her grand opus looms, she must confront another act of violence. With his second feature film, actor-turned-filmmaker Brady Corbet infuses this incisive character study with a mature sense of style all his own. His confident hand guides both his camera and his cadre of actors into fearless places in the name of art, finding beauty in the ugliness of the world and daring us to pay attention.
CAST: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Ehle, Jude Law, Stacy Martin
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