Review of Malena (2000) by Antonio G — 04 Nov 2007
The Second World War: Italy begins on the side of the Germans and later switches to the Allies, leading to a seriously ambivalent attitudes. In the early days of the fighting, the youth of a small town make an habit of foregathering on the seafront to watch the daily promenade of Malena (Monica Belluci) a young woman of ravishing beauty who strolls past totally ignoring them. One of the boys, Renato (Giuseppe Solfaro) becomes so obsessed that he takes for spying on her, peering through her windows, and using her as a sexual object.
She is a war wife, and her husband is considered missing in action. After the arrival of the Nazis she marries a German officer, thus shocking the entire town, later she is brutally punished by the women who beat her, shave her to the scalp, and strip her in public. Renato, having followed her progress through his adolescence, watches her humiliation passively.
The movie does not deliver completely on its plot, nevertheless, the music is amazing, one of the best scores I've ever heard, and of course one of my personal favorites.
Also, Belucci does an outstanding work by portraying Malena, as a funny detail, she barely needs to speak through the film.
This review of Malena (2000) was written by Antonio G on 04 Nov 2007.
Malena has generally received positive reviews.
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