by Chantal Ashford, Contributing Writer
I went into The Bride! with a fair amount of skepticism. We’d just received a fresh reimagining of Frankenstein, and I wasn’t entirely convinced there was still something meaningful left to say about the Bride of Frankenstein. But when you attach names like Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale as the leads, curiosity naturally follows. That alone was enough to get me in the seat — even if I wasn’t completely sold on the concept.
Set in the 1930s, the film follows Frankenstein’s monster, now going by Frank (Bale), who arrives in Chicago searching for companionship after years of isolation. With the help of scientist Dr. Euphronius (Annette Bening), Frank brings a woman named Ida (Buckley) back to life to be his partner. The problem is Ida remembers nothing of who she once was — her identity is shaped entirely by what Frank tells her. While she’s meant to become his eternal companion, Ida begins forging her own path instead, sparking a rebellious movement among women and refusing to exist solely as the creature’s counterpart.
The concept itself is interesting, but the execution feels clunky and unfocused. The film never seems to decide what genre it wants to inhabit. At times it plays like gothic horror, then suddenly it veers into romance, fantasy, social commentary, and even musical territory. The tonal shifts are jarring enough that there were several moments where I found myself staring at the screen trying to understand exactly what the film was attempting to do.
It’s clear that Maggie Gyllenhaal wanted to frame the story as something larger than a traditional monster tale — focusing instead on the trauma and oppression women endure rather than villagers with pitchforks and torches. The ideas are there, and some moments genuinely land, but the narrative often loses momentum before it can fully explore them. The result is a film that feels messy, uneven, and occasionally frustrating, even though it still manages to hold your interest in bursts.
The main reason it works at all is Jessie Buckley. She is phenomenal. Buckley completely commands the screen, delivering a performance that’s volatile, magnetic, and impossible to ignore. Every time she appears, the film suddenly comes alive. The theater scene and the ballroom sequence are particularly standout moments where she absolutely dominates the frame. I’ve been a fan of Buckley since season four of Fargo, and this performance only reinforces how electrifying she can be. Dare I say it — she acts circles around Bale here.
That’s not to say Bale isn’t good. As Frank, he delivers a thoughtful, inward performance that captures the loneliness of a creature who’s wandered the world for decades searching for connection. There’s a tenderness to his portrayal, especially in moments where Frank reveals his love for cinema and his desire for companionship. But whenever Buckley shares the screen with him, the focus inevitably shifts to her.
The supporting cast — also including Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, and Penélope Cruz — all show up when needed, though some characters feel oddly placed or underdeveloped. Sarsgaard’s detective, for instance, feels important to the story yet oddly absent for long stretches of it.
Ultimately, Buckley and Bale are the most compelling elements of the film and are what kept me invested longer than I expected. I wanted The Bride! to be a bold, unforgettable piece of gothic cinema, but it ultimately falls short of that ambition. Interesting ideas, powerful performances — but a film that never quite comes together the way it should.
This is one you can probably wait for.
Rating: It Was Just Okay
The Bride! is currently in theaters.
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