In Nia DaCosta’s reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s classic, ‘Hedda’ emerges as a compelling blend of intrigue and dark comedy, featuring standout performances from Tessa Thompson and Nina Hoss.
‘Hedda’ Review: A Modern Take on Ibsen’s Classic
What are you up to?” someone asks our leading lady in a plot thick with cattiness, intrigue, and betrayal that often obscures true motivations. You might pose the same question to director Nia DaCosta, who follows three modern genre films with an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s late 19th-century stage classic. Despite a certain staginess and a tendency for the plot to pause for acting, Hedda genuinely attempts to extract something new from the old text, fusing elements of Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn and Stephen Fry’s Bright Young Things.
Plot Overview
When we first meet Hedda (Tessa Thompson), she is being questioned by police about a shooting, of which she has only a vague memory (“It was a party, after all”). Hedda’s smirk speaks volumes as the film flashes back to that fateful night. Set in a stately home in England during the 1950s, Hedda Tesman, née Gabler, is hosting a ball. Recently married to George (Tom Bateman), an academic seeking a major teaching position, Hedda has invited his main rival for the job.
Character Dynamics
So far, so much like the play, but DaCosta introduces a twist: George’s nemesis is now female, named Eileen (Nina Hoss), Hedda’s ex-lover. Eileen’s arrival is made even more dramatic when a younger woman named Thea (Imogen Poots) appears at Hedda’s door in distress. Thea, recently broken up with Eileen, struggles with their joint book project. When Eileen arrives, she seems transformed: sober and, like Hedda, well-married. Eileen hopes to use the party to her advantage, bringing the only manuscript of their book, which Hedda covets.
Dark Comedy Elements
Understanding that a woman stealing a book isn’t exactly Mission: Impossible, DaCosta reframes the narrative as a Wildean black comedy, filled with ribald innuendo. Thompson excels as Hedda, a stealth socialite ninja always a step ahead. “Before you were domesticated, you were like fire,” a guest tells her, and Thompson’s layered performance makes this seem possible.
Supporting Performances
Thompson’s performance allows room for two more: Imogen Poots as the low-key but impressive Thea, and Nina Hoss, who ignites the screen as the supposedly “reformed” Eileen, spectacularly falling off the wagon throughout the evening.
See More ...
Conclusion
Despite the film’s ominous introduction, the ending doesn’t fully meet the foreshadowing — with at least four instances of guns being waved. However, DaCosta seems more invested in the characters than the plot. Unusually for a party movie, the revelry feels authentic, creating a debauched backdrop as Hedda delves deeper into her schemes against Eileen and the world. The use of Roxy Music’s “Love Is the Drug” provides a wryly ironic commentary on everything witnessed.
Title: Hedda
Festival: Toronto (Special Presentations)
Director: Nia DaCosta
Screenwriter: Nia DaCosta, adapted from Henrik Ibsen’s play
Cast: Tessa Thompson, Nina Hoss, Imogen Poots, Nicholas Pinnock, Tom Bateman
Sales Agent: Amazon MGM Studios
Running Time: 1 hr 47 mins
