Review of I Am Love (2010) by Thomas W — 12 Oct 2010

Food as metaphor ... lots of metaphors. I Am Love is an Italian-language prestige pic starring Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton, Chronicles of Narnia, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) as the matriarch of a well-to-do Milanese textile family.

The family appears to have it all -- wealth, health and beauty -- but it all changes with the arrival of one of the younger son's friends, a very talented chef, who cooks his way into the family. There is much more to the story than this as he quickly finds him self occupying the heart and affections of Swinton.

The love is never forced or put-upon, the movie has us see that it is a force that cannot be denied (kind-of like in The Notebook). Swinton is a marvel in the role (she spoke fluent Russian in Benjamin Button and now fluent Italian here!) and even if she doesn't have a whole lot to say .

.. the audience knows what she feels. There isn't an abudance of dialogue in the film (there is plenty ... it is not as if this is a silent film); but food and its preparation seems to take center stage.

The food looks delicious as does the film. It is lush and gorgeous with shots of the interiors, clothing, food, nature etc. The camera lingers on bowls of soup ... it is almost food-porn. It is an exquisitely filmed piece of work with a shellshocker of an ending (I guess there can be two of them if you'd like); but the final shot before the end credits could leave one tingling .

.. as does the entire orchestral score of the final five minutes. I Am Love IS sweepingly lovely ... but instead of Kleenex bring a napkin.