Is The Bride! really that bad?

Overview

This is a review/reaction-style recap of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Bride”, a gothic reimagining of Frankenstein. The video frames the film as intentionally bizarre, highlighting what makes it stand out—especially its feminist themes, chaotic tone, and standout performances.

Main Plot (as described)

• The film opens in a colorless limbo, where Mary Shelley’s ghost appears, setting up the story and explaining she can’t get her “dream” out of her head. The film’s narration/perspective is tied to her.
• Mary Shelley becomes entangled with Ida, a woman who works as an escort for the 1930s Chicago mob—effectively making Ida a vessel for Mary’s storytelling/possessing energy.
• Early on, Ida/Mary has an explosive confrontation with Lupino, the mob boss:
  • Ida screams accusations in a British accent
  • She’s removed from the restaurant
  • Soon after, she’s thrown down a flight of stairs and dies (already shown in the trailer/early runtime).
• Ida’s body is later dug up by Frankenstein and Dr. Euphronius, who revive her to serve as the Bride.
• After resurrection and being rebuilt into something more monstrous, Ida’s sense of identity shifts. She ultimately decides her identity is simply “the bride”—not “the bride of Frankenstein”—marking her first real move toward self-determination.

Key Highlights & Thematic “Throughlines”

Tongues as a symbol

The video emphasizes a recurring motif of women’s tongues being removed or silenced:

• Lupino collects jarred tongues like evidence/information.
• Ida’s tongue is also described as being dyed black, framed as both:
  • a sign of transformation and “impurity,” and
  • a visible metaphor for how women are controlled.

Defiance through words

A recurring phrase—“I’d prefer not to” (from Bartleby, the Scrivener)—is treated as a quiet but powerful refusal:

• strategic and passive-looking,
• but deeply meaningful and resisting control.

Identity as a quest

Ida repeatedly asks:

• who she is, and
• where she came from.

Even after major reveals, she remains “nameless,” which the narrator treats as intentional mystery—part of Mary’s perspective shaping what we know.

Frankenstein vs. Ida

The video contrasts their starting points:

• Frankenstein begins lonely and gentle,
• but Ida brings out a more protective, violent, conviction-filled side.

It also praises that he doesn’t try to silence or change her—he’s captivated by her exact flaws.

Crime duo energy

They become a running-from-the-mob crime partnership, with:

• Ida refusing to “bend,” while
• Frankenstein tries (and fails) to guide her into a new life.

Theater/film obsession (Ronnie Reed)

Frankenstein escapes bleak reality by obsessing over films featuring Ronnie Reed (portrayed as a parasocial fixation).

• Meeting Ronnie Reed sparks a goofy moment (spilling drinks),
• followed by a dance homage to Young Frankenstein’s “Putting on the Ritz.”

Jokes / Memorable Reactions Called Out

• Mary Shelley’s opening is treated like a playful absurd setup:
  • “Knock knock… It’s me, Mary Shelley… author of Frankenstein”
• The review notes the film’s willingness to be bold and disruptive, suggesting part of the appeal is how it swings rather than playing it safe.
• The Ronnie Reed meeting is described as leading to an intentionally weird dance sequence.

Why Some People Dislike It (Reviewer’s Take)

The video acknowledges the film has problems:

• the writing needs work
• it’s about half an hour too long

Suggested edit ideas include:

• cutting Penny’s “revolution” portion
• cutting the mob boss storyline
• tightening the second act

Still, the reviewer argues it’s not as terrible as critics make it out to be, emphasizing:

• Jesse Buckley and Christian Bale delivering truly stellar performances
• production design/coloring praised as beautiful, gothic, and “grandiose”
• the film’s risk-taking as respectable, even if imperfect

Performers Highlighted

• Jesse Buckley — as Ida / Penny / the resurrected Bride figure
• Christian Bale — as Frankenstein

Personalities Appearing (as referenced)

• Mary Shelley (ghost / narrative framing presence)
• Ida (protagonist vessel; played by Jesse Buckley)
• Frankenstein (played by Christian Bale)
• Dr. Euphronius
• Lupino (mob boss)
• Ronnie Reed (actor whose films Frankenstein watches obsessively)
• The reviewer/narrator (presenting commentary and opinions throughout)