Of all the modern pop divas, Lady Gaga has made the most fluid transition to the theater. The artist formerly known as Stefani Germanotta boasts of a Golden Globe for her performance in American Horror Story: Hotel on TV; and an Oscar for A Star Is Born, albeit for Best Original Song. Three years after that golden moment, she is back on the big screen and working with some of Hollywood’s most famous names. Can she manage?

Maison Gucci, run by Ridley Scott, is based on the non-fiction book of the same name, chronicling an actual incident at one of the world’s largest fashion houses. Gaga plays Patrizia Reggiani, a young working-class woman who, by chance, meets Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) at a party. Maurizio is a member of the iconic Gucci family, but is somewhat of a black sheep with no charisma or sense of style.

The couple fall in love and Patrizia marries in the rich and power mad world of Gucci and its many patriarchs. Charming to find her way into the center of the multibillion dollar organization, she pits family members against each other and positions her husband to take over. However, when Maurizio begins to see her as indispensable, Patrizia begins a violent plot of revenge.

While his best work is legendary, Scott can also create a tailor-made out of the box storyline. It throws the audience into the posh world of Gucci, where even the hired aide looks at a million dollars. It judiciously sets the tone for a nicely edited soap opera, essentially a Dallas episode with a bigger budget and Italian accents. Seen through this lens, the wandering plot and ridiculous turns seem to add to the experience.

Lady Gaga certainly adheres to this aesthetic, with big hair and bigger tantrums. She understands the mission, making Patrizia a sleek, outrageous antihero you want to see succeed as she bubbles up in her blood red ski suit. Where Maurizio compares her to Elizabeth Taylor, she purrs “I can assure you I’m a lot more fun”. She’s unlikely to earn her a second Oscar, and the Italian accent occasionally wanders off in Eastern Europe, but she’s the most watchable member of the cast.

Driver is, as always, subtly effective, showing Maurizio’s progression from geek to mogul without overshadowing his co-star. He’s unfortunate enough to be stuck in the duller half of the plot, as Patrizia’s plots are a lot more fun than the inner workings of a fashion house. So while Gaga has fun plotting with a famous medium (Salma Hayek), her talents are limited to dry boardroom scenes.

Still, it could be worse. Every family has their eccentrics, and in this cast, Jared Leto is a distraction. He plays Paolo Gucci, the silly son of founder Aldo (Al Pacino), who causes his father endless trouble. The Oscar winner wears ridiculous prosthetics and a horrible accent – “You’re ripping my heart out!” he exclaims at one point, with all the authenticity of a Super Mario Brother. As Gaga delves into the melodrama of the play, Leto looks like he’s in a comedy sketch. Pacino is exactly what you would expect, a yelling counterpoint to his on-screen brother Jeremy Irons, who plays grief-stricken actor Rodolfo Gucci with a lot of class.

House of Gucci is about 30 minutes too long, and should have focused on the plot rather than the catwalk. Nonetheless, this true crime adaptation takes advantage of its star’s innate country character and becomes extremely enjoyable. House of Gucci is in theaters from the 26^e November