Review of Malena (2000) by Dwi M — 28 Apr 2009

Having seen 'Amarcord', I understand now where Giuseppe Tornatore got the inspiration to make Malena. Its a minor companion piece to the Federico Fellini film, with many of the same visual settings.

But unlike Amarcord, the style and tone here is that of schmaltzy & sentimental movie with a tear-jerking story arc and a crowd-pleasing climax. Still, its well made and worth watching, and its not a waste of time.

The narrator's boyhood obsession with a woman his mother's age ; the intensity of adolescent sexual desire ; the plight of women living in an intensely exploitative male world - all this is well depicted.