Director Luca Guadagnio’s acclaimed film, I Am Love (or Io Sono L’Amore), was finally released in the States this Friday.
Set in Milan, the film follows the *very* wealthy Recchi family, and after patriarch, Edouard Sr., names both his son, Tancredi, and grandson, Edo, his successors, it seems to face a never ending bout of crises, tension, and drama. It’s a multilayered tale, but much of the plot centers on Tancredi’s Russian wife and Edo’s mother, Emma, and her passionate love affair with Edo’s best friend, the chef Antonio.
Over the top? Yes. A bit of a stereotypical story for the Italian bourgeois? Of course. However, I am Love is a melodrama and owes its audience a four course meal of raw emotion, fantastic shots, great clothes, and an epic score. All of these aspects rarely feel overbearing though, a common tragedy of the melodrama, because they are balanced with an incredibly controlled and talented cast. From Gabriele Ferzetti’s finger tingling, but brief, appearance as Edouard Sr. to Tilda Swinton’s powerhouse portrayal of Emma, the Recchi family is able to hold our sympathy, and thus interest, despite the fact that they live in the center spread of Vogue Living.
Never shying away from spectacle, or shrinking into the minimalism, arguably prevalent in most critically successful films, I am Love avoids overextending its stay thanks to a very reasonable two hour running time, a mature cast, and a few great pairs of shoes.
