Review of Malena (2000) by Isaac W — 28 Oct 2008

Renato Amoroso: "I pedaled as fast as I could... as if I were escaping from longing, from innocence, from her. Time has passed, and I have loved many women. And as they've held me close... and asked if I will remember them I've said, "Yes, I will remember you." But the only one I've never forgotten is the one who never asked... Malena.".

A young man's infatuation for a beautiful older woman blooms amidst the outbreak of World War II in this bittersweet comedy-drama from Italy. Renato (Giuseppe Sulfaro) is a 13-year-old boy growing up in a small Sicilian community. Mussolini has risen to power and has declared war upon England and France, but Renato has other things on his mind -- mostly girls. While hanging out with his friends by the seashore, Renato spies Malèna (Monica Bellucci), the daughter of one of his schoolteachers, whose husband Nino (Gaetano Aronica) is fighting with Mussolini's army. Renato is immediately obsessed with Malèna and follows her like a lost puppy, spying on her whenever circumstances permit and imagining her as his co-star in elaborate erotic fantasies inspired by his favorite movies. Renato, however, is hardly the only man in town to be struck by Malèna's charms, and her beauty leads to resentment from the women of the community. Malèna's circumstances take a turn for the worst after her husband is reported to have died in combat, and she is forced to resort to prostitution to survive; she is brutally attacked by a pack of angry matrons and driven from town. Renato tries to keep track of her, and has some less than encouraging news to report when Nino turns out to be alive and finds his spouse is missing.

Review.

I vividly remember seeing this film for the first time about six years ago when I was just a little young 'un and the version was dubbed and most of the scenes was edited. It was the time where I watched movies and skipped the talking parts and went straight to nude scenes and such. Don't blame me, blame the raging hormones I had at that time.

So anyway, I was foraging for DVD's not too long ago and I found a copy of this film, immediately I was taken back to Memory Lane and I knew I had to buy this one.

Well, after watching it for the second time (no I didn't skip to the nude scenes), I was amazed. What an amazing film. I laugh at my childhood self for not appreciating such a great film (well, can't blame him, it was the raging hormones *winkwink*). This film is touching and beautiful, the story is without a doubt one of the best that was interpreted on screen. My hats off to Giuseppe Tornatore, the director who also made 1988's Cinema Nuovo Paradiso for making such an ethereal movie experience.

Monica Bellucci, the most beautiful woman who walked on Earth, gave a stellar performance although she only spoke a couple of times. Being in a film as a lead and barely even speaking is a tough act to achieve, you have to rely on your body language and facial expressions to convey such a tremendous character and yet she did it like a pro. The kid, Giuseppe Sulfaro on the other hand also gave a wonderful performance and yes, I envy the lucky bastard for seeing Monica's hot bod in the nude.

Another amazing factor is the music of Ennio Morricone, the Danny Elfman-Hans Zimmer-John Williams combined of Italy. Malena is the perfect coming-of-age story, I suggest you go see it.