Vox Lux
2018
***
Director: Brady Corbet
Cast: Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Jennifer Ehle, Willem Dafoe, Christopher Abbott, Maria Dizzia, Meg Gibson, Leslie Silva
Celeste, a survivor of a school shooting, unexpectedly turns her trauma into a springboard for pop stardom. 17 years later, she is forced to confront the cost of celebrity. Brady Corbet's second feature is an intriguing but unusual concoction that doesn't quite gel into a satisfying whole. I prefer the first half, where Raffey Cassidy is great as teenage Celeste (later returning as her daughter). As the disillusioned 31-year-old Celeste navigates fame, personal struggles, and public scrutiny in the second half, it's harder to stay invested in the story, not least because of Natalie Portman's grating performance.
