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the keys to the house [Sep. 22nd, 2006|10:52 pm]
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This is the first Italian film I write about, I guess. Sort of. Italian characters in germany and Norway with charlotte rampling as a co-star along the way.

The first Amelio film I saw was the way we laughed. That was ok, but a little long I felt. I didn’t know what this was about when I checked it out, but when it became clear that it was going to be another film about a father and a son (the second such film I’ve seen in less than a week), I was hesitant. I was just hoping it wasn’t going to be some cheese - fest. Add to the fact that the kid has cerebral palsy (and most likely mild mental retardation), and the potential for a cheese-ball film is all there.

But there was something in this film that wasn’t in the way we laughed. It felt more authentic. I believed these characters. Particularly the father and rampling’s character. If this were a sports film, rampling would be the aging veteran on the squad. But as it is, she’s the experienced mother who knows what it’s like to be in this father’s shoes. But back to the authenticity - it was the realness in this that moved me. I don’t think I was ever bored watching this film.

The two best scenes? Well one of them is rampling’s final scene in the film. I wont say more about that.
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER The other one is when the father sees his son struggling through the therapy session, to the point where he interrupts the session. The interruption is not so much for the son than it is for the father. And it doesn’t matter so much that it’s these two specific characters. This scene is universal: as the child struggles, it is the parent who suffers
END SPOILER END SPOILER END SPOILER END SPOILER
that was one of the most powerful moments I’ve seen in a film in a while.

Sure, you can’t avoid being sentimental with a film like this; but it’s not over the top. Like I said, there’s something honest about the film. it's a genuine portrait of of these people

Final thoughts: apparently charlotte rampling knows every language in the universe. I’ve seen her speak French and English, and now Italian and german.

And the kid who plays the child - I’ll say one thing about him. He isn’t shy. He’s strolling around in his underwear for half of this film.

Oh yeah. While I was watching this, I was like, the guy who plays the dad is an awesome actor. Wkw needs to make an Italian film with this guy. Or maybe it was just the fact that I thought the dude looks like jude law.
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Comments:
From: (Anonymous)
2006-09-24 05:49 pm (UTC)

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thanks for write-up… haven’t been interested in comtemporary italian film in years. so, it’s nice to hear that charlotte rampling decided to be in one that sounds like one worth catching. anyways, it says a lot about her career now abroad and how they perceive her in the u.s.—she plays the main character in her foreign films and a supporting role in movies like ‘basic instinct 2’. anyways, if she were to portray the lead character in an american movie, i don’t the audience has the capacity to appreciate her great work, provided that the script and director are intelligent enough!
From: [info]anonom
2006-09-24 10:18 pm (UTC)

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she's in basic instinct 2? my first reaction to this is "the decisions some people make are interesting to say the least, particularly if rampling is in basic instinct 2." but then again, im only surprised because of the negative reviews that it has gotten in the press. it wouldn't surprise me if it is actually a decent film and the media has got it all wrong. afterall, certain actors choose to be in certain films because they believe in it. and if rampling believed in basic instinct 2, then it's worth a shot.

my tastes in film have been questioned in the past, so i can't promise that the keys of the house will touch others as it has touched me. but now that i think about it, i would say it's one of my top 10 films since 2000 (do we call it the 00's?)(i havent really compiled a list, but definitely on that list are dancer in the dark(#1), in the mood for love (a close #2), before sunset, and now this). however, at the very least rampling carries her own weight in this film, so you can at least count on that much. rampling was in, i think it's called ... lemmings? that's one i definitely want to check out.