Nia DaCosta’s Hedda offers a daring and sensual reinterpretation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play, centering on Tessa Thompson’s portrayal of Hedda, the general’s daughter who has left behind her wild past after marrying an academic. Set in the 1950s, the story unfolds over a single, wild party, where Hedda fights to reclaim control over her destiny amid mounting pressures and betrayals.
DaCosta shifts the narrative’s timeline and compresses the action to one tumultuous night, intensifying the drama as Hedda’s intricate manipulations come to the forefront, especially when Nina Hoss’s gender-flipped character, Eileen Lovborg, arrives, sparking escalating tensions that ignite the story’s climax.
Reinterpreting Characters and Setting for a Fresh Impact
The core conflict remains familiar: Hedda’s new husband, George Tesmand (Tom Bateman), vies for a coveted academic position, but faces competition from Eileen, Hedda’s former lover. When Thea, Eileen’s new partner, unexpectedly visits Hedda’s home after separating from her husband, Hedda seizes the chance to stir trouble, aiming to secure her own future by influencing the outcome.
Composer Hildur Guðnadóttir’s atmospheric score adds a haunting texture to the film, heightening the tension throughout. The music underlines moments of charged sexual energy, with secret kisses in shadowy corners and whispered exchanges that blur the boundaries between desire and danger as the party’s atmosphere grows more volatile with alcohol and drugs.
Amid this chaos, Hedda skillfully manipulates her guests, orchestrating confrontations and humiliations designed to benefit her husband’s ambitions. Thompson delivers a captivating performance, balancing Hedda’s seductive charm with a simmering fury fueled by frustration and regret, all while maintaining the facade of a gracious hostess.
Exploring Complex Female Rivalry and Power Dynamics
Thompson’s Hedda is matched by Nina Hoss’s compelling Eileen, whose calm confidence contrasts sharply with Hedda’s restless scheming. The tension between the two women reveals deep-seated resentment and longing, rooted in the societal constraints that shaped their lives and relationships. Their interactions eliminate distractions, reducing all around them to mere pawns in a high-stakes game of control.
The rivalry exposes the limited agency afforded to women in their world, but both Hedda and Eileen seize power where they can, using manipulation and emotional influence to assert themselves against the forces that seek to confine them. Yet, Eileen gradually realizes that Hedda’s machinations operate on an unpredictable level, which ultimately catches up to everyone involved.
DaCosta introduces changes to the ending of Ibsen’s narrative, slightly softening some of the more subversive elements, but the film’s energy and style remain compelling. Sean Bobbitt’s vivid cinematography complements DaCosta’s bold direction, capturing the film’s charged atmosphere and escalating chaos, where the mix of bloodshed, substance abuse, and emotional upheaval drives the story’s powerful conclusion.
Release Information and Premiere Highlights
Hedda premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, signalling a strong debut for this provocative retelling. MGM Studios will release the film in theaters on October 22, with a digital release on Prime Video scheduled for October 29, offering audiences multiple ways to experience this transformative adaptation.
