Writer-director Maggie Gyllenhaal helms this updating of the Bride of Frankenstein story. Set in 1930s Chicago and up the Eastern seaboard, the story follows Frankenstein’s monster (Christian Bale), who’s referred to as Frank, as he asks Dr. Euphronius (Annette Bening) to create him a companion to help cure his deep loneliness. They resurrect a dead woman (Jessie Buckley), who’s uncontrolled behavior attracts the police and inspires social change. (126 min.)
THE BRIDE!
What’s it rated? R
What’s it worth, Anna? Full price
What’s it worth, Glen? Full price
Where’s it showing? Colony, Downtown Centre, Park, Stadium 10
Glen Frankenstein (1931), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Young Frankenstein (1974)—and yes, there’s “Puttin’ on the Ritz” involved—both Joker (2019) and Joker: Folie à Deux (2024), and even Bonnie and Clyde (1967) are this film’s forebears. Gyllenhaal’s film is positively brimming with ideas, arguably too many, but front and center is fighting the patriarchy, right down to our protagonist yelling “me too, me too”—hashtag implied. Yes, it borders on heavy-handedly didactic, but men are awful. It’s about two monsters trying to be human in a monstrous men’s world. As our narrator Mary Shelley (also Buckley) explains as she struggles from some unknown purgatory to “write” the Bride’s story, is it a ghost story, a horror story, or most frightening of all, a love story? Viewers get to decide.
Anna Buckley turns out quite a performance as the Bride, as Ida, and as Mary Shelley. She’s a live wire in life and one in death too. The tale of her death is not just that of madness and an accident, but we learn that Ida was working to take down the corrupt mob boss, Lupino (Zlatko Buric). As a clandestine spy for police, her fate, along with many other young women working as escorts, is dark. When Frank’s appeal of vast loneliness to Dr. Euphronius sparks the doctor’s heart—and her somewhat rabid lust for reinvigoration—Ida is reborn, but with only vague and fleeting recollections of life before. Frank is overjoyed with his new companion, but Pretty Penny, as he calls her, is not one to go lightly into the wash of a new life. In fact, I think she might say, “I prefer not to.” This stylized film has a lot going on, but I loved it.
Glen The real monster is Lupino, who keeps women’s severed tongues in jars of formaldehyde like floating chicken thighs. All the men just plain suck. Even the detective pursuing the couple—Jake Wiles (Peter Sarsgaard)—is a corrupt weakling who takes credit for his secretary, Myrna Malloy’s (Penelope Cruz), deductive prowess. The Bride’s murderous rampage is so inspiring to women that she sparks a feminist movement. In fact, Gyllenhaal’s film is best described as a feminist manifesto. It’s also a completely bonkers over-the-top ride, but is it too much? Does “too much” have any meaning in the age of Babylon (2022) and Megalopolis (2024)? Judge for yourself.
Anna I really like Gyllenhaal both as an actor and a director, and she uses her brother, Jake, in this film as the other object of Frank’s admiration—dancing movie man Ronnie Reed. But when Frank stumbles upon the star at a gala, it’s soon clear that sometimes it’s best to leave our heroes on the big screen and away from real life. There are chaotic dance numbers, a turbulent mix of fantasy and reality—very Joker: Folie à Deux. Much of the film is the two on the run after Frank’s unbridled anger takes out a couple of thugs who assault Penny. You can’t help but see Bonnie and Clyde written all over these two characters. Both Bale and Buckley are stars, and they shine here. Put on your black lipstick and get ready for the revolution. ∆
Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in March 12-19, 2026.