Review of Call Me by Your Name (2017) by Marcovelous — 22 Dec 2017

It is difficult not to hype about this film, which received acclaim already before its formal release. After the first watch, I was actually a bit underwhelmed by how raw this film is. I was also distracted and annoyed by the smoking actions – almost everybody smokes in this film, a lot, throughout the film. Forgive me, but I do not find it adds anything to the narrative. I really was not sure what to feel from the first sitting. So I decided to watch this film again, the next night. Having to piece everything together, I think this film is certainly picture of the year with an emotional and sensual love story.

Call Me by Your Name starts with Oliver visiting Elio’s house as Oliver helps with Elio’s Dad’s academic work. Oliver and Elio spend time together in the summer days riding bikes, reading and dancing. A magical love thrives and they decide to speak how they feel about each other. As the couple starts getting closely together for several weeks, they find themselves a difficult time having to separate, both in terms of location and emotion.

We are all spoiled by modern romance drama films that any relationship should be based on a series of dramatic events that the couple is formed by a strong link between each other. So during my first watch, I find it quite unbelievable, almost like a fantasy, that Elio and Oliver just clicks together, and has so profound love towards each other. But I realized that a relationship need not to be reasoned in a heavily detailed manner. It’s not a fairy tale, but simply the reason is what Dad says, the two are ‘good’. Simple as that, and no arguments needed to support. That’s why I feel this love story is light-hearted yet so romantic and heart-warming, just to see the couple do things together, improvised, without an apparent reason. “Because it was him. Because it was me.”.

Elio’s and Oliver’s relationship grows as well. Elio at first has nothing nice to say about Oliver, calling him arrogant as he loves using the word “later!”. As Elio’s bed is now Oliver’s, Elio initially uses a stoic voice talking to Oliver. “We’re being called for dinner” perhaps is the most stern and cold line of the film. And we have Dad and Mom as the cupid parents. “You’ll grow to love him.” What a bless from them and they are together LATER! Mom noticed Elio’s necklace very quickly. Dad also just couldn’t stop making this couple work using metaphors with sculpture wordings. Both Elio and Oliver hesitate to make the first move, but they eventually choose to speak. The love develops. Elio becomes patient – he waits and anticipates for Oliver. Elio cares for him. Oliver desires Elio, fellatio-ing Elio or eating what Elio leaves in the peach as he likes. Realizing the days are counting, they cherish the time being intimate physically and emotionally. And this is portrayed on the point.

Dad’s monologue lifts the message of the film to a high level. This relationship is not that easy that the story we know makes it out to be. We know everything. But they have to hide everything from everyone else. I still think what he says applies to the present. When coming out is still on the to-do list, any heartbreaks would be needed to be hidden and would be painful. Many have chosen the easy and also the difficult way – play straight, get married – if not that reluctant to women. But will it take a true love as a consequence? Without the story of Elio and Oliver, we may not be able to think about love in such a perspective. To embrace our feelings about the ups and downs of our relationships. To seize the once-in-a-lifetime chance with ‘the one’ we have in front of us. To be brave to express ourselves and not to be limited by our sexuality or anything that stands in between. And more than that is self-acceptance, parents’ acceptance and the whole generation’s acceptance to homosexual relationships. Elio and Oliver are just like everybody else, but face problems too. Oliver sadly follows Dad’s footsteps. Elio knows Oliver is getting married. I love the moment where Elio repeats saying ‘Elio’ on the phone, wishing Oliver would come back to him. It is heart-breaking and becomes even more heart-wrenching when Sufjan Stevens’ “Visions of Gideon” fits in. It was difficult for such true love to execute long distance relationship, but even more to break it.

The soundtrack is also a highlight in this film. I love the easy-going strings go on “Mystery of Love” and how the bass hits on “Visions of Gideon” to suit the romantic and heart-breaking scenes. The soundtracks add so many colors to the film.

Call Me by Your Name does not only live up to our hype over this year, but also will remain a recognizable, bitter-sweet, and roller-coaster summer love story. This is done, without Elio and Oliver saying “I love you”, and instead “call me by you name and I’ll call you by mine”.