If you are expecting a regular laugh riot with “Being the Ricardos,” think again.

“I Love Lucy” it is not.

Yes, there are some laughs. And there is humor. There is much more. There is sadness, sobering reality, tragedy and triumph. You come away with a deeper understanding of Lucille Ball and her husband, Desi Arnaz.

“Being the Ricardos” plays like a reality TV show as we get a behind-the-scenes look at one week in the production of an episode of the “I Love Lucy” (1951-1957) TV show.

Significantly, the film is titled “Being the Ricardos,” not “ Lucy and Desi” or “Being Lucy” or “We Love Lucy.” The film is about Lucy (Nicole Kidman) and Desi (Javier Bardem) as a married couple, actors and TV show producers.

“I Love Lucy” starred Lucille Ball as a housewife, Lucy Ricardo, and her husband, Desi Arnaz, as band leader Ricky Ricardo. Vivian Vance and William Frawley co-starred as New York City neighbors Ethel and Fred Mertz.

“Being the Ricardos” references “I Love Lucy” TV show innovations: shot on 35mm film, three-camera setup, first ensemble cast, and first scripted television show shot in front of a studio audience.

When it first aired, “I Love Lucy” was the top-rated TV show in the United States. In a 2012 survey by ABC News and People magazine, “I Love Lucy” was voted the “Best TV Show of All Time.”

“Being the Ricardos” by writer-director Aaron Sorkin (Oscar, adapted screenplay, “The Social Network,” 2010; director, “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” 2020; creator, TV’s “The West Wing,” 1999-2006; creator TV’s “The Newsroom,” 2012-2014; screenplay, “Steve Jobs,” 2015; “Moneyball,” 2011; “The Social Network,” 2010; “Charlie Wilson’s War,” 2007; playwright, screenwriter, “A Few Good Men,” 1992) is a primer on Lucy and Desi.

Through fictionalized flashbacks and “flash-forwards,” we learn about Lucille Ball being accused of being a Communist sympathizer (she was exonerated by the House Un-American Activities Committee), her demand that real-life husband, Desi, play her husband on “I Love Lucy” at a time when marriages between a Caucasian woman (by the way, Lucy was a native of Jamestown, N.Y., in the vicinity of Erie, Pa.) and a Latin male (Arnaz was a native of Cuba) were not represented on mainstream national TV shows, and allegations by Lucy of Desi having extramarital affairs.

Sorkin shuffles the chronological deck to good effect. The film builds precipitously to two crucial scenes with Kidman and Bardem.

Kidman (Oscar, actress, “The Hours,” 2002) is note-perfect as Lucille Ball and as Lucy the TV character. Kidman not only replicates the mannerisms and voice, she conveys Lucille Ball’s inner life, as well. Look for an Oscar actress nomination for Kidman.

Bardem (Oscar, supporting actor, “No Country for Old Men,” 2007) is excellent as Desi. Also noteworthy: J.K. Simmons (Oscar, supporting actor, “Whiplash,” 2014) as William Frawley, as well as Nina Arianda as Vivian Vance.

Some of the “I Love Lucy” TV show scenes are shown in black and white. The Lucy and Desi marriage was not black and white.

“Being the Ricardos” compares favorably to other TV topic movies: “Good Night, and Good Luck” (2005), “Soap Dish” (1991), “Broadcast News” (1987) and “Network” (1976).

Lucille Ball and her TV persona as Lucy Ricardo on the “I Love Lucy” situation-comedy lives on in perpetuity in reruns on streaming services, TV channels and DVDs.

If you’re a fan of “I Love Lucy,” then “Being the Ricardos” is a must-see. After you see the film, watch an episode of “I Love Lucy.” You will have a renewed appreciation of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

“Being the Ricardos,”

MPAA rated R (Restricted Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.) for language Genre: Biography, Drama, History; Run time: 2 hours, 11 minutes. Distributed by Amazon Studios.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

The scene where Ricky Ricardo (Javier Bardem) is performing in a nightclub was filmed on the RMS Queen Mary, docked in Long Beach, Calif., as a hotel. Desi Arnaz Jr. and Lucie Arnaz are executive producers of “Being the Ricardos.”

At The Movies:

“Being the Ricardos” was seen at the Frank Banko Cinemas, ArtsQuest Center, SteelStacks, Bethlehem. Face masks are recommended.

TCM “Lucy” podcast:

TCM has an excellent 10-part series, “Lucy,” for its third season of “The Plot Thickens” podcast, hosted by Ben Mankiewicz. If you love Lucy, don’t miss this sure to be award-winning series, which givens an in-depth, well-researched and entertaining profile of Lucy, plus three bonus episodes about Lucie Arnaz, Aaron Sorkin and Carol Burnett, Kate Flannery and Kate Micucci. Click on:

https://theplotthickens.tcm.com/

Theatrical Movie Box Office,

Jan. 28-30: “Spider-Man: No Way Home” hung on to No. 1 again, with $11 million, in 3,675 theaters, $735.8 million, seven weeks. The top seven films stayed in place.

2. “Scream,” $7.3 million, in 3,518 theaters, $62.1 million, three weeks. 3. “Sing 2,” $4.8 million, in 3,450 theaters, $134.5 million, six weeks. 4. “Redeeming Love,” $1.8 million, in 1,963 theaters, $6.5 million, two weeks. 5. “The King’s Man,” $1.7 million, in 2,440 theaters, $34 million, six weeks. 6. “The 355,” $1.4 million, in 2,513 theaters, $13 million, four weeks. 7. “American Underdog,” $1.2 million, in 2,113 theaters, $24.7 million, six weeks. 8. “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” moved up three places, $770,000, in 1,170 theaters, $128 million, 11 weeks. 9. “Licorice Pizza” moved up one place, $691,186, in 772 theaters, $11,8 million, 10 weeks. 10. “West Side Story” dropped one place, $614,000, in 1,335 theaters, $36 million, eight weeks.

Box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Jan. 30 is subject to change.

Unreel,

Feb. 4:

“Moonfall,”

PG-13: Roland Emmerich directs Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley and Michael Peña in the Action, Adventure, Science-Fiction film. Astronauts try to save the human race when the Moon veers from its orbit and heads toward Earth.

“The Black Phone,”

R: Scott Derrickson directs Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Davies, James Ransone and Madeleine McGraw in the Horror film. A 13-year-old boy receives phone calls from a killer’s victims.

“Jackass Forever,”

R: Jeff Tremaine directs Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius and Machine Gun Kelly in the Documentary, Action, Comedy. The pranks gone wrong continues.

Movie opening dates from Internet Movie Database as of Jan. 30 are subject to change.

This column is dedicated to Linda “Daria” Danish. She loved “I Love Lucy.” I loved Linda.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes