It’s the summer of 1983 in the north of Italy, and Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet), a precocious 17- year-old American-Italian boy, spends his days in his family’s 17th century villa transcribing and playing classical music, reading, and flirting with his friend Marzia (Esther Garrel).
Elio enjoys a close relationship with his father (Michael Stuhlbarg), an eminent professor specializing in Greco-Roman culture, and his mother Annella (Amira Casar), a translator, who favor him with the fruits of high culture in a setting that overflows with natural delights. While Elio’s sophistication and intellectual gifts suggest he is already a fully-fledged adult, there is much that yet remains innocent and unformed about him, particularly about matters of the heart.
One day, Oliver (Armie Hammer), a charming American scholar working on his doctorate, arrives as the annual summer intern tasked with helping Elio’s father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of the setting, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever.
Armie Hammerbr /> Timothée Chalamet
Michael Stuhbarg
Amira Cesar
Esther Garrel
If you haven’t seen this film yet, you might want to watch it when you have some spare time over the Christmas holidays. I watched it at Christmastime two years ago. I stumbled upon the film by chance. I’m glad I did: I was spellbound by it! I watched it so many times. I lost count how many times in total!
It’s a lovely story; but more than that, it transports one back to a bygone age, a simpler age, when people led less complicated lives. There’s lots of smoking in it, too. Something you don’t see much these days. People actually did smoke a lot back then before people became politically correct and when the notion of secondhand smoke hadn’t been thought of.
But what is particularly enjoyable about this movie, in my opinion, is the fact that one feels as if one is actually in Italy along with the characters. It’s the way it’s been filmed, apparently. The ending of the film is also very good – it’s moving. Very moving!
I was particularly taken by the film because of its setting. It reminded me of the times I spent in Ticino many years ago, in a similar setting. Watching this film was, for me, like a trip down memory lane. Not because of the relationship, because I didn’t have a gay relationship in Ticino, but because of the ambience of the film.
Do yourselves a favour and try and watch it. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. – © Mark
