Hedda
A captivating performance by Tessa Thompson makes Hedda an alluring watch that recounts the events of one night – the drama, tragedy, deception and scandal. A darkly aesthetic take on the ostentatious parties thrown by Gatsby, this feature by Nia DaCosta is a thrill ride complete with glamour, guns and mischievous games gone wrong. The shindig is set up by Hedda, masquerading as an effort for her husband to woo his superior in hopes of climbing the ranks in his professorship. But everything unravels with the arrival of Eileen Lovborg, Hedda’s ex-lover, who has turned over a new leaf in the form of the shy and ceremoniously giving Thea Clifton. Determined to pull Eileen back into her old alcoholic ways, Hedda works her unscrupulous magic and persuasion to control the evening and get exactly what she wants.
Originally a play by Henrik Ibsen, DaCosta’s script and direction explore power dynamics, the desperation for control, race politics and society’s constant need for women to prove their worth. There’s also an undercurrent of eroticism and sensuality, questions of consent and the notion of what it means to owe someone something. However, Hedda doesn’t delve into these topics in any deep or meaningful manner. Instead, it focuses solely on its central character, her motivations and the pandemonium she creates. The film revels in the menagerie of exploitation and reckless decisions made by Hedda and the other characters, drawing the audience in despite its at-times surface-level engagement with its themes.
The highlight of the picture is undoubtedly the marvellous performances, particularly Thompson’s portrayal of Hedda and Nina Hoss as Eileen. Thompson is free-spirited with a quick-witted and cruel edge; she captures Hedda’s feverish charisma while fully submitting to her flamboyant darkness. Yet the cracks in her mask are evident, and Thompson allows these moments of weakness to subtly peek through. Hoss is impeccable as Eileen – sharp and cutting, but with an intense vulnerability in the form of her work and her relationship with Thea. However, as brilliant as these two are individually, they can’t quite capture the electric chemistry their characters supposedly share. It says a lot when the sexual tension between two former lovers comes across as tepid compared to the intensity between Hedda and Tom Bateman’s George Tesman – a marriage that, for all intents and purposes, is only for show.
Hedda is visually stimulating, with its high-contrast filters and fantastic use of lighting and shadows providing each scene with just enough flourish to embody the hedonistic lifestyle of Hedda and her guests, while also creating a foreboding sense of danger. This anxiety surrounding Hedda and the threat she imposes is well personified through her obsession with her father’s guns. The gun symbolises a sense of freedom; there aren’t many things Hedda can control in her life – from the man she marries for comfort to her and George’s failing financial state – but the trigger is something she can choose to pull or not. Hedda, as an imminent threat, is further characterised through tracking shots that keep her at the centre, while the recurring motif of height and elevation – Hedda standing on balconies or landings, overlooking her pawns – visually reinforces her need for dominance.
With its intriguing characters and all-around chaotic energy, Hedda is a fascinating cinematic experience. While it offers little in the way of wider commentary, it remains a compelling watch. Thompson’s portrayal of the titular character is charmingly wicked, maintaining interest throughout and elevated by impeccable visual choices in cinematography, costume and lighting.
Mae Trumata
Hedda is released on Prime Video on 29th October 2025.
Read more reviews from our London Film Festival coverage here.
For further information about the event, visit the London Film Festival website here.
Watch the trailer for Hedda here:
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