Just saw this film at a local Italian Film Festival and it easily was the best film of the fest, and one of the best movies I've seen all year. For adults only, but worth the watch when and IF it ever comes to the USA (wake-up acquisitions people!!!)
Italian actor Sergio Castellito ("Mostly Martha") proves to be a more than capable director with only his second film "Don't Move." Although the film opens in the present with a motorbike accident in the rain, it quickly heads 15 years back in time in order to develop the main storyline of an adulterous young doctor who makes an odd acquaintance in the countryside. What follows is a highly interesting and complicated storyline that will enthrall adult audiences for the film's entire two hour running time. Castellito also stars in the film as 'Dr.'Timo', a surgeon with no moral compass who, while waiting for his car to be fixed, gets drunk and 'date' rapes a strange woman who up to this point has only acted as a good Samaritan on the doctor's behalf. This oddball beginning is only part of the atypical but highly involving elements that make this film so intriguing and may send some viewers to the bookstores to seek out the Margaret Mazzantini novel on which it is based until the theatrical release hits U.S. shores. As the two main characters continue their trysts, their relationship evolves from chronic, somewhat violent sexual assaults to full-blown lovemaking. Being poorly educated and of limited means, the woman, 'Italia', grows in affection for the doctor as his treatment of her begins to shift from victim to paid whore to lover to true love. Giving her most amazing acting performance to date is Spanish-born Penelope Cruz ("Vanilla Sky"), who not only shows a facility for the Italian language but also the capability of creating a believable portrayal of a basically, very unattractive woman. Italia has blackened teeth, overdoes her make-up, and dresses like a peasant (she's employed as a seasonal worker at a local hotel), but her firm legs are enough of an attraction to keep bringing the horny Dr. Timo back for more for years to come. The only false note in this scenario is the appearance of Timo's wife, the absolutely, gorgeous Claudia Gerini ("I'm Crazy About Iris Blond"), as the doctor's severely neglected wife.
Luckily, this pseudo 'madonna-whore' aspect to the the storyline is the only glitch in an almost perfect scenario. Although many Italian movies deal with the theme of adultery, this film portrays the growing passion between the lovers in extremely dramatic terms while continuously defying clichéd situations. Clever surprises as well as the parallel storyline in the present are used in a way that will stun viewers anticipating something more derivative. Certainly the most original Italian film-making that I've seen since the work of director Federico Fellini in the 50's and 60's, and kudo's to Castellito for both starring in and directing this marvelous drama which will hopefully get a USA theatrical release soon.
Italian actor Sergio Castellito ("Mostly Martha") proves to be a more than capable director with only his second film "Don't Move." Although the film opens in the present with a motorbike accident in the rain, it quickly heads 15 years back in time in order to develop the main storyline of an adulterous young doctor who makes an odd acquaintance in the countryside. What follows is a highly interesting and complicated storyline that will enthrall adult audiences for the film's entire two hour running time. Castellito also stars in the film as 'Dr.'Timo', a surgeon with no moral compass who, while waiting for his car to be fixed, gets drunk and 'date' rapes a strange woman who up to this point has only acted as a good Samaritan on the doctor's behalf. This oddball beginning is only part of the atypical but highly involving elements that make this film so intriguing and may send some viewers to the bookstores to seek out the Margaret Mazzantini novel on which it is based until the theatrical release hits U.S. shores. As the two main characters continue their trysts, their relationship evolves from chronic, somewhat violent sexual assaults to full-blown lovemaking. Being poorly educated and of limited means, the woman, 'Italia', grows in affection for the doctor as his treatment of her begins to shift from victim to paid whore to lover to true love. Giving her most amazing acting performance to date is Spanish-born Penelope Cruz ("Vanilla Sky"), who not only shows a facility for the Italian language but also the capability of creating a believable portrayal of a basically, very unattractive woman. Italia has blackened teeth, overdoes her make-up, and dresses like a peasant (she's employed as a seasonal worker at a local hotel), but her firm legs are enough of an attraction to keep bringing the horny Dr. Timo back for more for years to come. The only false note in this scenario is the appearance of Timo's wife, the absolutely, gorgeous Claudia Gerini ("I'm Crazy About Iris Blond"), as the doctor's severely neglected wife.
Luckily, this pseudo 'madonna-whore' aspect to the the storyline is the only glitch in an almost perfect scenario. Although many Italian movies deal with the theme of adultery, this film portrays the growing passion between the lovers in extremely dramatic terms while continuously defying clichéd situations. Clever surprises as well as the parallel storyline in the present are used in a way that will stun viewers anticipating something more derivative. Certainly the most original Italian film-making that I've seen since the work of director Federico Fellini in the 50's and 60's, and kudo's to Castellito for both starring in and directing this marvelous drama which will hopefully get a USA theatrical release soon.