I Am Love (Luca Guadagnino, 2009): Italy

Reviewed by Gillian Weiner. Viewed at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

“I Am Love (Io sono l’amore)” puts every other Italian film to shame. The story focuses on an upper-class family in Milan and the downfall they all experience due to unconditional love and passion. Tilda Swinton who plays Emma Recchi steals the show entirely. It was impossible to take your eyes off of her as she played this well kept, curious, Russian housewife.

After the family business was handed down at a family dinner to Tancredi (Pippo Delbono), Emma’s husband, and their son Edoardo (Gabriele Ferzetti) life could not be better. They have their family, their health, their help, and their business, what more could they need? No one seems to ask themselves that question in the film except for Emma after she is introduced to Edoardo’s friend Antonio (Edoardo Gabriellini) who he plans to go into business with because he is a struggling chef with magnificent talents. Once Emma meets Antonio, all is lost in Emma’s world. Her only daughter Elizabeth (Alba Rohrwacher) turns out to be a lesbian; this disturbs Emma at first but then learns to love Elizabeth just as she is. As time continues Emma doesn’t ignore her lust for Antonio and they soon are intimate with each other.

The love scenes in this film were scenes I’ve never seen done before. When Emma and Antonio went for a hike they stop in a grassy field and begin to make love. The quick shots of both of their naked bodies wrapped up in grass and weeds showed so perfectly how enthralled they were with one another. The director, Luca Guodagnino, portrayed this so well the whole theatre was getting gladly uncomfortable.

Not only was the editing on par but the acting, extraordinary. Every actor was there own character. I didn’t feel like I was watching a film, but a fly on their very expensive Milan wall. The lighting was thought out perfectly in every scene as well. Every aspect of film that reviewers pay close attention to, the director had even closer attention. The costumes were beautiful and completely fitting as well as the colors used in each scene. The director/cinematographer knew where they wanted you to look and you obliged willingly. Viewing this movie felt like a rollercoaster that I never wanted to get off.

With a plot like this film has one would think it would have the “done before feel” to it when the exact opposite is true. Luca brings such an interesting twist to all the mis-en-scene it is so breathtaking and eye-catching.

After this film ended I was speechless along with the rest of the audience. Never have I been experienced such a well-done, moving, suspenseful foreign film. Go and see it. Now.