A blind scholar is a welcome guest in Vatican City, where his diligence and erudition are much appreciated. As a friend of cardinals he is deeply familiar with the place, museums and treasuries included. However, too much direct exposure to treasure seems to have warped his mind. Firmly resolved to pull off a daring heist, he assembles a team of specialists...
"A qualsiasi prezzo" is a member of the large heist family, notable mainly for the ravishing and historically significant locations. The heist plan itself is interesting, especially when viewed as a series of exercises in lateral thinking. However, the events depicted on the screen fail to generate much excitement. Viewers looking for something to make the heart pound and the pulse race, might want to look elsewhere. The same goes for viewers looking for psychological depth. Most of the characters consist only of one or two mental traits, meaning that they never blossom into fully credible individuals. As a result it's hard to worry about their ultimate fate.
The tone of "A qualsiasi prezzo" is not as constant as one might wish. This is especially true of the last part, when various approaches and even various genres clash and collide like cars in the mist. Are we talking about comedy, black comedy, gritty crime, thriller, pastiche, or all of them at once ? The result makes for an unconvincing denouement.
The movie contains at least one blooper, to wit a scene where a handsome young woman disguises herself as a Catholic nun. She's wearing fashionable make-up, which, in real life, would make her stand out like a sore thumb.
In conclusion : not entirely without charm, but notable mainly for the splendid surroundings.
"A qualsiasi prezzo" is a member of the large heist family, notable mainly for the ravishing and historically significant locations. The heist plan itself is interesting, especially when viewed as a series of exercises in lateral thinking. However, the events depicted on the screen fail to generate much excitement. Viewers looking for something to make the heart pound and the pulse race, might want to look elsewhere. The same goes for viewers looking for psychological depth. Most of the characters consist only of one or two mental traits, meaning that they never blossom into fully credible individuals. As a result it's hard to worry about their ultimate fate.
The tone of "A qualsiasi prezzo" is not as constant as one might wish. This is especially true of the last part, when various approaches and even various genres clash and collide like cars in the mist. Are we talking about comedy, black comedy, gritty crime, thriller, pastiche, or all of them at once ? The result makes for an unconvincing denouement.
The movie contains at least one blooper, to wit a scene where a handsome young woman disguises herself as a Catholic nun. She's wearing fashionable make-up, which, in real life, would make her stand out like a sore thumb.
In conclusion : not entirely without charm, but notable mainly for the splendid surroundings.