Rivetting biopic with excellent performances Starring: Toni Servillo, Cristiana Dell'Anna, Eduardo Scarpetta and Antonia Truppo Rati...
Rivetting biopic with excellent performances
Starring: Toni Servillo, Cristiana Dell'Anna, Eduardo Scarpetta and Antonia Truppo
Rating: 4/5
Mario Martone’s biographical film about playwright and actor Eduardo Scarpetta is as fresh as a biopic could hope to be. Beloved Neapolitan actor and playwright Eduardo Scarpetta, father of Eduardo De Filippo, devoted his entire life to the theater, achieving success with timeless works such as “Miseria e nobiltà .” However, everything he worked for seems lost in 1904, when he’s drawn into a nasty legal battle that could compromise his freedom of expression.
A film targeted mainly towards film festival
audiences and cinephiles, which is pretty evident by the pacing of the film
which is slow and meditative though fast at the same time, making it quite
accessible for mainstream audiences. It perfectly captures the chaotic nature
of Scarpetta’s life through long takes and the use of various Italian songs.
Towards the end, the film almost becomes a philosophical film with Scarpetta
questioning his fame and existence.
Toni Servillo (known for his excellent
performances in The Great Beauty and The Hand of God – both directed by Paolo
Sorrentino) masterfully plays Scarpetta, making use of facial expressions and
tone of voice primarily over actions, the effect of which is tremendous on the
viewer. Cristiana Dell'Anna as Luisa is excellent, giving a silent performance
quite similar to Servillo. Eduardo Scarpetta as Vincenzo is excellent. All the
other actors put in good performances.
Mario Martone’s direction is effective along
with Renato Berta’s cinematography. You feel like you’re in good hands as soon
as the film begins.
Qui Rido Io is a film to watch in the
theatre if you’re willing to be fully immersed in the experience.
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