Review of I Am Love (2010) by Jarred K — 03 Jul 2010

Perfect pacing, a rich atmospheric tone, superb acting, lush visuals and cinematography, as well as a sublimely artistic score all barely overshadow an otherwise melodramatic screenplay, making I Am Love a worthwhile cinematic viewing.

*Spoilers* The basic plot is that the main character, Emma Recchi (Tilda Swinton), the wife of a wealthy textile-manufacturers manager, falls in love with a friend of her son's, Antonio. Antonio is a chef with great culinary talent, who plans to open a restaurant of his own until he and Sra. Recchi begin their affair. Meanwhile, Betta, her daughter, declares herself a homosexual while Sr. Recchi is away on a business trip. Edoardo, their son, gets married to his long-time girlfriend. By the end of the film, Sra. Recchi has cut her hair like her homosexual daughter (a symbol of freedom from standard constraints), Edoardo dies a tragic death due to an argument over the affair, and his new wife finds herself with child as Emma finally runs away to be with her lover.

Quite the soap opera, right? The screenplay is the primary flaw of this otherwise ingenious film. Very much based on overly melodramatic and flamboyant love-affairs, the script does little in the way of being enlightening in regards to the more profound aspects of love, happiness, family, etc. However, it is in all of I Am Love's other multiple unique components that the film succeeds.

First of all, and most noticeably, Swinton stars, as she always does, performing with grace and perfect delivery of lines, even though they are all in Italian. The accompanying actors, as well, played their parts well, or at least, as well as could be seen, considering it was this young American critic examining a handful of Italians at play.

More than anything, the cinematography, coupled with excellent art direction and visuals, was vibrant and beautiful. Countless glorious scenes danced on the screen, and I found myself in awe of what I was witnessing, in the sheer genius of the camerawork.

Additionally, the pacing of the film felt picture-perfect. The tone and atmosphere could not have been more thoroughly set in place, like picturesque pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

Essentially, the only flaw of this otherwise boundary-pushing, artistically exquisite foreign film, is the melodramatic screenplay. Well worth the watch as a wonderful piece of foreign cinema, just don't expect anything too deep or event-driven from the storyline.