WE (2011)

Directed by: Madonna | 115 minutes | drama, romance | Actors: Andrea Riseborough, James D’Arcy, Abbie Cornish, Natalie Dormer, Oscar Isaac, Laurence Fox, Annabelle Wallis, James Fox, Richard Coyle, Natalie Gal, Haluk Bilginer, David Harbour, Christina Chong, Anna Skellern, Lola Leon

She was briefly mentioned in the Oscar-winning ‘The King’s Speech’ (2010): Wallis Simpson, the woman for whom British King Edward VIII abdicated. The American was not liked by her new in-laws to say the least. Nor did the people have anything to do with her. Not only did she come ‘from outside’, she was not of nobility and moreover had been married twice before; there were also the wildest rumors about the couple. Their relationship is said to have sadomasochistic features. In addition, it was alleged that Wallis sympathized with the Nazis. Thus, Wallis Simpson became a favorite prey of the tabloid press, who would haunt her for years to come. Perhaps Madonna recognizes herself in her. The Queen of Pop has been fascinated by Wallis for years and it should come as no surprise that the American socialite takes center stage in La Ciccone’s second film, ‘WE’ (2012).

In 1998, Madonna attended an auction of items from the private collection of Wallis and Edward (also often referred to as David). It is precisely this auction that is taken as the starting point here. In ‘WE’ she mixes the present with the past. In the present, we meet Wally (Abbie Cornish), a young woman who struggles with her stalled marriage to the shady psychiatrist William (Richard Coyle) and seeks solace in her fascination with Wallis Simpson (Andrea Riseborough), whom she also once loved. was named. Coincidentally, an auction of Wallis items is imminent and Wally misses every opportunity to admire the collection and dream away at the beautiful items. As she fantasizes, the past comes to life and we meet Wallis and Edward (James D’Arcy). We see how the two meet and are almost instantly attracted to each other, even though Wallis is still married to her second husband at the time. When their relationship is undeniable, Edward – who was crowned king after the death of his father in 1936 – is presented with a choice by the prime minister: the throne or the girl. Edward doesn’t seem to have to think too much about it and chooses Wallis, after which they spend the rest of their lives in France as exiles.

‘WE’ is an ambitious project that Madonna has seized on with full conviction. Therefore, it is a pity that her undoubtedly good intentions hardly come true. The film is messy and unbalanced and especially excels on a visual level. But the beautiful sets and costumes (which deserved an Oscar nomination) cannot hide the emptiness of the story. Because it remains unclear what exactly Madonna, who is also responsible for the screenplay with Alek Kashishian, wants to say with her story. At first she seems to want to make a feminist pamphlet, but over time she flattens that approach, until at the end nothing remains of the heroine she was at the beginning. Fortunately, the characters are saved by the excellent performances of the actors. Especially Andrea Riseborough fills in her role well and knows how to translate the mystique of Wallis Simpson to the silver screen. It’s just a shame that the screenplay falls short here too and we never really discover what’s on her mind. Wallis and Edward, however, come off a lot better than Wally, who hangs together from clichés and never manages to create any depth. The fact that she is also ‘rescued’ by a Russian guard (Oscar Isaac) who is too good to be true doesn’t make it any better.

A fascinating portrait could undoubtedly be made of the intriguing Wallis Simpson, if a good director had taken matters into his own hands. But Madonna falls seriously short. Not only as a director, but also as a screenwriter, she still has a lot to learn. She knows enough about glitter & glamor, so there is little to fault with the stylish, opulent decoration. For the music she engaged the acclaimed Polish composer Abel Korzeniowski (‘A Serious Man’, 2008). His bombastic score is sometimes a bit too exuberant, but it fits perfectly in the ‘costume ball’ around Wallis and Edward. Often even the camera work is more than decent. But technically and substantively ‘WE’ rattles too much, making Madonna’s second film no more than a clear case of ‘style over substance’.