srz-it Reviews

Balancing Act (2012)

Just awesome.

[10/10 · 31 March 2019]

One of the best Italian auteurs of his generations, and also one of the most underrated ones, Di Matteo here delivers a masterpiece which was very easy to fail.

Narrating a story of personal failure like this one (the protagonist's life faces the collapse of his marriage and he has to face the impossibility of living a decent life, turning to sleep in his car) could had been pathetic, hard to watch, conventional, or simply annoying. Instead, Di Matteo seems to follow the steps of Neo-Realism, and thanks to an impressive, gigantic performance of Valerio Mastandrea (awarded with David Di Donatello, Italian Oscar), a well-paced rhythm and a well-written screenplay he puts reality in motion, something extremely rare these days. Solid performances by Rosabell Laurenti Sellers (the daughter) and Barbora Bobulova (the wife).

Somewhere Amazing (2015)

Little masterpiece

[10/10 · 31 March 2019]

A very superior psychological drama, rare to see these days. The movie tells about a marriage in crisis, and a woman who apparently passively accepts everything comes in her life. Ragonese and Boni, two of the best Italian actors of their generation, are simply wonderful, but the best one of the group is Paolo Sassanelli, an expert character actor, here playing with excellent undertones the melanchonic character of a loner driving instructor.

La governante (1974)

Worth a watch

[8/10 · 31 March 2019]

Very faithful towards the well-known play of Vitaliano Brancati, a well-built melodrama which is probably Grimaldi's best movie. An excellent performance by Turi Ferro (a monument of Italian theatre) and Martine Brochard (really a surprise here), well-supported by Quattrini, Caprioli, the beautiful Agostina Belli and Pino Caruso. A movie which grows minute after minute and keeps growing after the end. Worth a watch!

Una botta di vita (1988)

So underrated!

[10/10 · 31 March 2019]

A very underrated gem with the late Blier and Sordi, this movie is in the typical style of the most celebrated "Commedia all'italiana" movies of the 1960s and 1970s, and some sort of old age counterpart of Dino Risi's "Il Sorpasso / The Easy Life". It is also a great performance for the Sordi-Blier duo, which on its own justifies a 10 vote.

Buoni a nulla (2014)

Delicios comedy!

[10/10 · 31 March 2019]

This is a very good little gem in the usual Di Gregorio's subtle, realistic humorous style. A very refreshing change of scenery compared to his previous movies, in this one he is an old office worker who has to face technical innovations and a difficult work enviroment. The movie is built like a little survival manual for valuable people who are "good for nothing" (as the title say) or more accurately for people who do not fit for the very competitive world we live in. Worth a watch!

Una spina nel cuore (1986)

Interisting

[8/10 · 31 March 2019]

A very interisting, dark, torbid melodrama in typical Lattuada style. The novel is much better but this obscure movie deserves attention. Delon Jr. is very mediocre, while Duez talks more with her beautiful body than with her facial expressions. Italian Gastone Moschin is solid as usual in a supporting role which sacrifices a bit his talent. Past's major star Antonella Lualdi also appears in a minor role.