Review of The Italian (2005) by Faith B — 29 Jul 2007

For all its highly constructed twists and turns, The Italian is ultimately a real bore. None of the characters are particularly interesting and the story goes from one plot point to another with what feels like mechanical efficiency.

If there is one reason to see it is for the young Kolya Spiridonov's performance which is quite mature for such a young actor.

When I wasn't thinking about the lead's performance- which, it's important to understand, is not quite strong enough to actually carry the film- I was wondering whether this was an accurate portrayal of Russian orphan life. As I sat wondering about the validity of this representation I recalled what Tim O'Brien says in "How to Write a True War Story.": "You can tell a true war story by the questions you ask. Somebody tells a story, let's say, and afterwards you ask, "Is it true?" and if the answer matters, you've got your answer." This is a film that may or may not realistic portray the life of the poor in Russia. The answer matters.