Big Picture Big Sound

Win, lose, or draw, to see a new Francis Ford Coppola movie in theaters feels like an event in itself. Maybe it's only an event for the diehard adventurous moviegoers, or for those who had "The Godfather" posters on their dorm room wall. Either way, Coppola's new film "Megalopolis" arrives in a wide theatrical release with plenty of chatter after it had its debut at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

Coppola says he has been working on "Megalopolis" for decades and it took him financing the picture with his own money (to the tune of $120 million) to see it realized. Seeing his vision unfold on screen is fascinating because it's a rare moment when you can see the movie's infamy being born. The film plays out like a madman's last dance, where every idea he has had in his head for decades spills onto the page and then leaps to the screen. "Megalopolis" isn't a tidy movie or even a coherent one at times - but it's always a thrill to watch.

After its Cannes debut, "Megalopolis" was met with reactions that ranged from calling it a misunderstood masterpiece to an insufferable slog. In reality, the movie is neither of those things; it's an experience more than a movie. It's not a film to recommend blindly to people because it's a tough sell to encourage anyone to head to the theater for a movie that feels like Coppola opened several dusty notebooks from the past 40 years and turned his camera on and let the actors run wild. What's infectious about his movie, however, is the joy and fun everyone seems to be having playing in this world.

There's a plot to "Megalopolis," but sometimes it's barely important to the movie itself. The movie takes place in New Rome (a futuristic New York City, essentially), where architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), who has the ability to stop time, is at odds with Mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito). Cesar and Cicero have different viewpoints on the future of the city, and things get more complicated when Cesar begins a relationship with the mayor's daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel).

That might make "Megalopolis" sound like a simple tale of dueling sides. There's family drama happening between Cesar and his cousin Clodio (Shia LaBeouf). Clodio is the black sheep of his family, led by his billionaire father Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight), who is having an affair with TV personality Wow Platinum (Aubrey Plaza). Exhausted yet? That doesn't even include Laurence Fishburne, Jason Scwartzman, Talia Shire, Kathryn Hunter, or Chloe Fineman.

It's undeniable that "Megalopolis" will indeed exhaust some moviegoers. It's frantic and busy and all of Coppola's storylines and visions don't go together neatly. But, in a world when movies have become so safe and afraid to take risks, "Megalopolis" feels like a crazy breath of fresh air. At two hours and 18 minutes, the movie sustains its energy long enough to feel like a propulsive journey through Coppola's imagined world.

There's no doubt Coppola's legacy is on his mind as he puts "Megalopolis" out into the world. No matter how little money his new movie makes or how many bad reviews it receives, Coppola doesn't have to worry about his already established legacy. Should "Megalopolis" be his final movie (though he has said it's not), what a way to end a historically important career in filmmaking.