A common phrase used throughout Warren Beatty’s Rules Don’t Apply is “you’re an exception.” The film, written, directed and produced by Beatty, is exactly that — a movie serving more as an exploration of human desire and need than as a biopic chronicling the life of reclusive American mogul Howard Hughes.
Despite the amount of time Beatty dedicates to painting a portrait of Hughes, the plot is largely overshadowed by the onscreen dynamic between Alden Ehrenreich’s (Hail, Caesar!) Frank Forbes and Lily Collins’ (Love, Rosie) Marla Mabrey, two of Hughes’ employees that strike up a relationship.
Outside the lackluster plot, it doesn’t feel like Beatty has missed a beat. The transitions between scenes are seamless and the acting captivates the audience.
Beatty plays Hughes, expertly conveying the publicly seen eccentric billionaire as well as the hermit struggling with his decline into perceived insanity.
However, it is the on-screen relationship between Collins and Ehrenreich that carries the film. The extended silences between the two and the unwavering eye contact they make during these silences make it seem like they know exactly what the other person is thinking and feeling.
The role of religion in the relationships between the characters, however, gets overshadowed.
This is especially evident when Frank or Marla sit down to eat a meal. At one point in the film, Howard takes Frank to see his prized creation, an aircraft known as the Spruce Goose. The two sit down at a table set up in front of the flying boat and while Hughes begins to eat the food immediately, Frank pauses to say grace.
Marla and her mother also say grace every time that they sit down at the dinner table together. After Marla’s mother leaves Hollywood, Marla slowly stops saying grace altogether, signifying the start of her transition away from religion.
Because Marla and Frank are so devout, religion plays a central role in their relationship, influencing the things they talk about and even dictating how they can and should feel about one another.
Eventually, after Marla and Frank fall victim to their desires, they become confused about the role religion plays in their lives; Frank stops saying grace and second guesses his engagement to his grade school sweetheart while Marla turns to alcohol for comfort.
The acting and casting are shining points in an otherwise average film. Big-name actors such as Annette Bening, Matthew Broderick, Alec Baldwin and Martin Sheen do well in supporting roles as Collins and Ehrenreich take on starring roles.
Though Rules Don’t Apply falls short as a biopic of Howard Hughes’ life, it does a great job of capturing the essence of the time period it takes place in. The Hollywood that the film is set in — 1958 Hollywood — is the same one Beatty entered when he first started in the film business. His experience with this time period coupled with beautiful set design and costumes give the film an authentic feeling.
At one point in the film, Frank quotes Victor Hugo when trying to get Hughes to listen to him. He says, “There’s nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.” And for a film that took almost 40 years to get off the ground, its time has definitely come.
2.5/4 Shells
