Italian Studies

Someone, somewhere, enjoys and appreciate this movie, and understands nuances about it that I've failed to pick up on. I'm glad for them. I, however, am at a loss. There are strong storytelling possibilities in the concept of someone suddenly losing their memory in a big city. It could be turned into a film of any genre, but in keeping with the tone here, as a straight drama that concept could be explored as the sad, active experience of such loss, and trying to survive and find oneself, or as a grand esoteric examination of self-discovery and reinvention. To some small extent Adam Leon touches upon these ideas in his movie. To a much larger extent, it doesn't actually feel like 'Italian studies' has any plot or meaningful writing at all.

Whatever narrative the film would seem to carry in regards to protagonist Alina's memory loss is... well, lost, and upended, by frequent interspersed conversations with the teens she meets. There is a suggested story thread here, too - Alina is using the idea of writing about teens as an excuse to hang out with them, and cover for the fact that she doesn't know anything about herself or her surroundings. The problem is that it doesn't feel like a real story, only an interruption from what the narrative for this feature could have been. The conversations bear no weight, and no real apparent meaning. Compounding this aggravation is the fact that the teens aren't exactly likeable: Whatever characterizations Leon gave them in his screenplay, and whatever personality or quirks the young performers infused into their roles, the effect is a group of young people who present like self-indulgent exhibitions of every worst impulse, hammed up to impress they person they're talking to.

Dialogue mostly seems fake and contrived, characters are hollow and empty, plot is all but absent, and scene writing feels blase. I suppose the acting is fine, such as it is, but what is it that the players are supposed to be portraying? 'Italian studies' is well made from a technical standpoint, but what does this matter in a picture that's so directionless, and aimless? I'm honestly unsure. There are concrete ideas herein, and one of them - mentioned in passing within the last lackadaisical stretch of the movie - is the notion of acknowledging something good that happened, but not hyperfocusing on it, and just remembering it and moving on. None of these ideas are treated with any care or respect, however, and so the picture ends as bland and indifferent as it began, with these qualities only amplified between the bookends. What was Leon trying to communicate with 'Italian studies?' What was he trying to do? I think I might understand the intent, but in my opinion, it simply didn't work. Another viewer may learn these hidden truths as a revelation, and I congratulate them. Me? I could do with a bit of memory loss right now.

It's one of those "Art Films" us New Yorkers catch at posh theatres like the IFC Center. It was the middle of the day and I wanted to see a movie, and this was a movie I had not seen yet, but I tell you, this was not the movie to see in the middle of the day when you have nothing to do.

Ironically, I wanted to waste some time and I did it on a movie that was a waste of time.

If I came out of this feeling like this was the worse movie I ever saw, then that would have been something, and obviously I did not come out of this thinking it was good, but this movie did the worse thing I think a movie could have done: waste my time.

I was bored, so bored. I could not believe this movie was only 80 mins, it felt like an entirely waiting for something to happen. Vanessa Kirby is no Margot Robbie. In all fairness maybe I can watch Kirby do nothing in a film if the film is right. Kirby tries and you can see her charm, but that was not enough. It's possible Robbie would have bored me to death in the same role.

I am more of a low budget B-movie type than an indi art house type so maybe that goes with it. I certainly admit I did not understand the plot well enough to even describe it here. That could just be me, but I've seen enough Art Films to know that's most likely not the case.

Sometimes it just doesn't click, and this is one of those times.

I've always been a fan of Vanessa's work, so when I saw this movie, I decided to watch it. All I can say is that it's a mediocre movie, the script and editing of the movie is confusing at times and I feel most of this movie relies on Vanessa's acting to carry it. Apart from that, nothing really stood out to me and in conclusion I think it could've gotten carried out better than it was.

The movie did have a style and the movie did have some performances but i just didn't care at all, not only the person but the story and all of that, i just didn't care, at in the end Italian Studies is just a waste of time especially when the movie was less than 80 minutes, it's boring and it feels so long and that's because i did not invest or care about anything inside the movie.

Oh my god. This is complete incoherent junk. Mubmbling no talent acting and script that seems to be improvised by idiots and which goes nowhere. Zero stars.