Review of I Am Love (2010) by Maarrk H — 03 Aug 2010

?I Am Love?, Oscar® winner Tilda Swinton delivers a stunning performance!

English actress Tilda Swinton?s 25 years of acting has presented characters from a multitude of countries and nationalities, winning an Best Supporting Actress Oscar® for playing an American business executive in ?Michael Clayton? (2007). Tilda Swinton?s performance in ?I Am Love?, places this movie at the top of my ?must see list? for foreign language films for 2010!

Set around the year of 2000 in Milan, Italy, the film follows the fall of the upper middle class Recchi family. Emma (Tilda Swinton) is Russian, married an Italian when they were young, and live in Milan where her husband has built a very prominent textile company. Emma?s biggest challenge throughout the years was adopt the Italian lifestyle and reign as the head of the Recchi family, seeing to the day-to-day duties of the palatial estate, company social events, and family.

As the years passed, Emma pushed to the side the exterior expressions of the traditions and customs of her native land she was born into, and for love, she became the loving ?Italian? wife and mother to her two children. Her husband is set to step aside with their son expected to takeover the thriving textile company.

Accidentally, Emma discovers a secret of her college daughter and while she wrestle?s with the thought of how to approach her, the forces of passion and unconditional love, starts to unravel the biggest secret that Emma is concealing. That secret has the potential of devastating results for the dynasty of the Recchi family, and Emma?

?I Am Love? is an engaging tragic love story of a woman caught between the life she has and the life she desires. Tilda Swinton excels as Emma, is a delight to watch, and learned Italian and Russian for the part, neither of which she spoke before filming! Add ?I Am Love? to your must see list if foreign language films are your favorite genre!

In Italian with English subtitles.

?I Am Love?, starring Tilda Swinton, Flavio Parenti, Edoardo Gabbriellini, Alba Rohrwacher, Pippo Delbono, Diane Fleri, Maria Paiato, Marisa, Waris Ahluwalia, and Gabriele Ferzetti.

Written and directed by Luca Guadagnino. Magnolia Pictures release. Rated R for sexuality and nudity. Runtime: 120 minutes.