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@Flinstone: your analysis is absolutely commendable, and it’s probably just that we start from two opposing viewpoints. You’re trying to salvage what can be salvaged in the film. I found some scenes absolutely unbearable, which I pointed out in the review. Starting with the one where he goes to the beach to write what he writes. I found it to be an unsustainable vulgarity and pretentiousness. I mean, I’m sorry, but one of those things that makes me angry and want to shout out loud “Get lost.” Because if someone assaults a woman, either they are seriously messed up or they are scum. You can’t resolve it by writing it in the sand and then asking for forgiveness. It’s unacceptable behavior. As Godard said, the gaze of the camera is always moral. Yet the duo still wants us to accept the character of Timoteo and to have understanding for his affairs. The rain, I’ve said, I’m terribly tired of seeing Italian films where the protagonists sit by the window watching it rain outside. I must have seen it in at least thirty films in the last twenty years. Enough. By now, my hand reaches for the gun, as someone a bit meaner than me would say. As for Mazzantini, my consideration is based solely on the viewing of the film, in which, I reiterate, the characters all seem to me to be of an unparalleled narrowness, except for Italia. Of course, I could be wrong, but it seems to me a narrowness in which the two spouses coexist, and well, it’s fine as it is, so much so that in the end the family reunites and will live happily ever after. After that, excuse me, but I will neither watch another film directed by Castellitto nor read a book by Mazzantini. Here, I wouldn’t want to open another chapter, but there is a lot to say about the state of contemporary Italian literature. And I assure you, I have read quite a few Italian books. And I hardly trust them anymore. Unfortunately, life is so short and there are so many wonderful things to read and see that my eyes are turning elsewhere. To say, I’m catching up on Herzog's latest documentaries, and I assure you, even though, of course, Herzog has nothing to do with Castellitto, that any two minutes of these documentaries are worth much more. Anyway, thanks for the dialectical comparison. I believe everyone will stick to their own opinion, but that’s fine too.

@Galakordi: so next time, instead of playing the smartass and coming to say that "the review is written like shit," just tell me the mistakes and omissions I've made, and I'll say: "You're right," if you are, and that'll be the end of it.

@Galakordi: the review isn't written like crap; it's written in deliberately low language, for two simple reasons 1) so that even idiots like you can understand 2) it aims to talk about a shitty film using the same expressive poverty. Strange that a smartass like you didn't get it.

@Poletti: regarding Castellitto as an actor in this film, it seems I made some precise notes: whether he’s having sex with Cruz (even violently) or waiting to find out if his daughter will die, he never changes his expression (God forbid that I only encounter the first of the two experiences in life, but I believe I would have different attitudes and reactions). His expressiveness is the same throughout the rest of the film. Now, it’s not that just because Italian actors generally suck, we have to say he’s good. In any case, whether Castellitto is a good actor or not, the film is bad, and it seems you agree on that. Just as I hope Castellitto avoids being behind the camera in the future.

@Flinstone: sorry, but the character portrayed by Castellitto is an asshole with all the characteristics mentioned above, isn't he? He is, or wants to be, the emblem of a certain Roman bourgeoisie (he is a surgeon, but he could be a lawyer or an actor). What kind of relationships do his colleagues have with him? Someone mentioned Almodovar: for me, one of Pedro's great qualities is the love he has for his characters. It doesn't matter if they are good or bad, likable or unlikable, etc. On the contrary, as I said above, it seems to me that the Castellitto couple has a narrow-minded view of the world, and this is reflected in the film: life and people are better than they think. And if they think they are better than others (the only other possible interpretation), then they are just poor pretentious people.

@Poletti: you seem to be living in your own world; you don't read my review well, nor those of others. Since I said that Cruz, within the overall mediocrity of the film, thanks to her talent, stands out. And since I stated that for such a role we must turn to her and can't call on an Italian actress (which means she is better than any Italian actress). Is it a quirk to criticize Italian cinema? But most critics have spoken well of the film! @Kosmo: it does an injustice to my rather limited intelligence to think that if the film had been American I would have liked it: I believe I've made that clear both in the review and in the comments; I would be more than happy to see beautiful Italian cinema. Obviously, I am harsher on Italian films, both because we are masters in this art and because stories like these we would have been able to tell once upon a time, but not anymore.

First of all, thank you all for your attention to this my first movie review. A few thoughts @ let there and M.Poletti: obviously Mediaset does what it wants, I was just pointing out that for once it could do something different, since its profits don’t seem to be low. It's true that Rai mocks us: they have only aired Fanny et Alexander late at night on a weekday, I was surprised they dedicated an entire evening to Antonioni. However, one can't expect them to show the films requested by Poletti: they are in black and white :-((((. @ Flinstone Regarding Castellitto as a director, I wasn't biased; I believe it was the first film directed by him that I've seen. As an actor, I saw some of his work years ago and he doesn’t seem to have improved. It's true, I was harsh, but certain films bring out the worst in me. Could I have said something else? Of course. However, I have read more positive reviews than negative ones about this film. So it seemed fair to me to bash it. It's not just Italian cinema that's struggling, but also certain critics, who in order to speak well of Italian cinema, end up saving even these nonsense films. That said, we still have some good directors (I find Sorrentino and Garrone interesting). If the film had been good, I would have been the first to be happy about it.

Good review, as usual. You know what? Maybe you should let loose every now and then; you're way too professional... and considering your tastes, you're a rocker! I'm always fascinated by Albini's productions. Sound-wise, this is one of the absolute best, perhaps only second to "Rid of Me," competing with "Surfer Rosa," and still better than "In Utero." To be precise: the rhythm section is better here, the guitars in "Rid..." and "Surfer..." The girls' skill is evidenced by the fact that their cover of "Happiness..." is one of the few Beatles covers that doesn’t make an absolute fool of itself in the entire history of pop. And I also think it's better than the second; "Cannonball" aside, which belongs in the realm of perfect tracks. "I need a fix, 'cos I'm going down." Yes, very much pop. P.S. But when I was a kid, how many times must "Hellbound" have spun on my turntable? Billions?

Black, just to clarify, my vanity, as I mentioned above, has other sources. I also, as I always say, am sparing in giving 5 to reviews, because I expect three things: good syntax, a stroke of genius, and no philological errors. The other day I gave a 5 to Alessio for a review on Tad because he had the brilliant idea of identifying himself with the fat butcher, another one to Tim Buckley because it was in the form of a letter to an imaginary love. Of course, I don’t judge my own, even though I realize that some come out better, others worse. I only contested your first post because there, in my opinion, you had gone a bit over the top, and you, by now, are of a certain age yourself.. :-)

Thank you Kosmo, just because I know that black is going to be annoyed for a couple of days :-))))))