Checked this out on the merit of Luca Guadagnino's breakthrough film, Call Me By Your Name, in the interest of exploring some his past work. In some ways, I Am Love feels like a dry run for the former, particularly in its second act which is by far its strongest. It captures that same windswept, naturalistic intimacy shared between two characters who are hopelessly drawn to one another despite the social pressures that would pull them apart. Guadagnino displays the same eye for the beauty of the Italian countryside which again acts as a backdrop, and he too adorns the romance with plentiful images of the natural world.
But these similarities to Call Me By Your Name are also somewhat detrimental to the film as they draw just as much attention to the ways in which it doesn't quite reach those same heights. The characters here don't feel as rounded and full-bodied which distanced me a bit from the proceedings. There are also many more plot elements revolving around the more numerous supporting characters that fail to be as compelling as the central romance. Additionally, I took some issue with the third act of the film which veers into melodrama and results in a finale that feels forced compared to the breezy, airy quality of its earlier sections. Still, there's plenty of beauty to behold here and it's worth seeing as a formative work in Guadagnino's career, as well as on the strength of its best moments.
3.5/5
But these similarities to Call Me By Your Name are also somewhat detrimental to the film as they draw just as much attention to the ways in which it doesn't quite reach those same heights. The characters here don't feel as rounded and full-bodied which distanced me a bit from the proceedings. There are also many more plot elements revolving around the more numerous supporting characters that fail to be as compelling as the central romance. Additionally, I took some issue with the third act of the film which veers into melodrama and results in a finale that feels forced compared to the breezy, airy quality of its earlier sections. Still, there's plenty of beauty to behold here and it's worth seeing as a formative work in Guadagnino's career, as well as on the strength of its best moments.
3.5/5