Movie Poster

We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster that we go bankrupt by the age of thirty and have less to offer each time we start with someone new, but to make yourself feel nothing so as not to feel anything - what a waste.

# Review

This coming-of-age romance film based on a novel follows teenager Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet) who is staying at his family’s villa in rural Italy. Elio’s world is shaken up when Oliver (Armie Hammer), the graduate student assistant of Elio’s professor father, moves in with the Perlmans for a summer.

Honestly this movie was never on my radar as I’m not really into the genres. I only watched this on my flight from LA to Hong Kong because I enjoy binging films on planes and a friend of mine who is an aspiring actor lists this film as one of his all time favourites. While it was awkward watching this film at times because I sat in the exit row (anyone passing by can see my screen), I’m glad I gave this film a shot.

The acting is some of the best I’ve seen in films. Chalamet’s Elio is youthful and tender while Hammer’s Oliver is confident and charismatic. The supporting cast, which includes Elios’ father (Michael Stuhlbarg) and Elios’ friend Marzia (Esther Garrel) are fantastic; Stuhlbarg in particular reminded me of Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting. I also can’t help but compare this film with Moonlight as they both deal with themes pertaining to coming-of-age and homosexuality. It’s interesting comparing the stories of Chiron and Elio; while both teens deal with the social pressures surrounding being gay, Chiron also deals with the socioeconomic pressures of coming from a broken family.

The film also feels very European with its slow and deliberate pacing, as well as its cinematography, which includes beautiful shots of the Italian countryside.

# Conclusion

While I'm pretty impartial to the story, the acting and cinematography are both amazing.

# Overall rating: 8.0

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