Written by: Nia DaCosta
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock, Nina Hoss
Rating: [3.5/5]
Being around a toxic individual can lead to many problems, as being within the radius of that person invites mayhem. However, on the other side of the coin, it can also lead to some excitement as long as it does not involve you. In Hedda we get to experience the works of a toxic person throwing a lavish party, and while the individuals involved do not have the best time, we do as outside observers.
Throwing a party that will hopefully help her husband land a prominent role, Hedda (Tessa Thompson) tries her best to keep it together when her former lover, Eileen (Nina Hoss), arrives and completely has her lose all composure. As she learns of the degree to which Eileen has moved on from their former tryst, she continues to intensify her actions to the concern of everyone else around her.
Who doesn’t love a good chamber drama? One where we have a confined cast all within the walls of a singular location, allowing for all of the drama to enfold and ultimately feel inescapable. We get this through the big party our titular character puts together. She comes into this with just the right amount of instability that promises something messy will transpire, and we can see why given the individuals who show up to this party.
The main purpose for this extravagant party lies in trying to help her professor husband George (Tom Bateman) land a prestigious position that will help clear the debts their lifestyle has accrued for them. Easy enough for her given the charm offensive she can very easily employ when necessary. Things get messy with the arrival of Eileen, which truly sets things off for various reasons. As it becomes blatantly apparent, Hedda had a previous romantic relationship with Eileen, but now she learns that this same woman serves as the main competition for her husband to get this all-important role. This coupled with the reality that Eileen has a new lover and collaborator in Thea (Imogen Poots), whom she has also brought to this party, ensures emotions will soon explode.
As this party continues to unfold, we learn much more about the dynamic of Hedda and Eileen and how they went from being lovers to their current standing. Hedda had a choice to make in the past: living her life openly with Eileen or the easy way out in marrying a man with social standing. Eliciting this path also stripped Hedda of the possibility of pursuing her own intellectual pursuits in lieu of becoming this housewife who would throw lavish parties such as the one displayed in this very movie. Seeing Eileen with Thea represents everything Hedda has given up and her emotional instability heading into this party; this allows everything to unravel for our entertainment.
The messiness drives the entertainment of this film along with the performance of Tessa Thompson. She navigates every conversation and interaction with little bits of venom in her and presents this delectability in the way she knows her status and the allure she brings. Thompson goes into each space and every conversation with an agenda, and the more she drinks, the less she cares for the feelings of those impacted. Quite the sight to behold, especially when soaking in the way this film gets captured by Nia DaCosta. Everything on display has this decadence to it that matches the individuals and their emotions on display. DaCosta and Thompson have worked together before in the former’s directorial debut, Little Woods, but in this instance, they both turn up the style to 100 for our entertainment, and it demonstrates that these two should continue to work together.
Wildly entertaining and always keeping the audience on their toes, Hedda brings us a titular character that lives by her own rules, and seeing the way she easily navigates all different types of dynamics brings forth so much of the fun this story has in store for audiences. Seeing her begin to buckle under her own discomfort and act out raises the stakes, where you begin to question just how far all of this will go and who will end up majorly harmed before the night ends and the sunrise sheds light on the aftermath of this emotionally destructive night.
Films with Josh 
