Watch Vox Lux

Vox Lux is a riveting and intense music drama that was released in 2018. The film stars Natalie Portman, Jude Law, and Stacy Martin in leading roles and was directed and written by Brady Corbet. The storyline of Vox Lux revolves around the life of Celeste (played by Raffey Cassidy and later Natalie Portman), a teenage girl who survives a school shooting and becomes a pop icon after singing at a televised memorial service. As she climbs the ladder of success, she struggles to cope with the ups and downs of fame, including addiction, love, betrayal, and tragedy.

The opening scene takes place in 1999, where Celeste is a high school student in Staten Island, New York. One day, during a music class, a classmate walks in with a gun and starts shooting, killing several students including Celeste's best friend. Celeste is injured and emotionally traumatized by the event but survives. In the aftermath, she and her sister Eleanor (Stacy Martin) write a heartfelt song that becomes famous across the country, leading to Felicity (Jennifer Ehle), a manager, taking an interest in Celeste and launching her career.

With Felicity's help, Celeste records and releases an album that becomes an instant hit, featuring the song she and her sister wrote. However, Celeste's newfound fame comes at a cost, and she soon finds herself battling drug addiction, motherhood, and relationship problems.

The second half of the movie takes place sixteen years later, where Natalie Portman takes over the role of Celeste, who has now become a cynical, jaded, and self-destructive rock star. Celeste is now a divorced mother of a teenage daughter, Albertine (Raffey Cassidy), who also happens to be a talented musician. As Celeste prepares for a much-anticipated comeback concert, she struggles to manage her personal and professional life, even as she is stalked by a deranged fan.

Throughout the film, Jude Law's character, known only as The Manager, plays an integral part in Celeste's life as her manager, handler, and sometimes confidante. The Manager manipulates her career while trying to keep her reckless persona in check, which often leads to outbursts of anger and frustration from Celeste.

One of the strengths of Vox Lux is the way it delves into the dark side of the music industry, exploring the highs and lows of fame, as well as the vulnerabilities of artists who are thrust into the spotlight. Natalie Portman's performance as Celeste is captivating, raw, and emotional, as she portrays the character's descent into mental and emotional chaos, even as she tries to maintain an unwilling public image.

Vox Lux is also noteworthy for its excellent cinematography and music composition, with original songs by Sia and a compelling score by Scott Walker. The film uses music to explore Celeste's journey to stardom, as well as its impact on her psyche and relationships with others.

All in all, Vox Lux is a thought-provoking and powerful music drama that leaves a lasting impression on its audience. While it may not be everyone's cup of tea, it's definitely worth watching for its excellent acting, music, and themes of trauma, redemption, and the corruption of fame.

Vox Lux is a 2018 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 50 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.8 and a MetaScore of 67.