Adagio

This is not a real review, it should be understood more as a collection of impressions on the film.

Big film full of Italian actors which, as the title says, is extremely slow and also quite complex. Obviously we start by saying that the acting performances are truly magnificent and that the plot is interesting and very nice even if let's say that you can guess more or less where it's going from the beginning and you can also understand the ending. Then there are two environmental things, one very nice and particular and the other without particular sense, the nice and particular one is the fact that Rome burns in the background because the enormous fire gives a truly beautiful setting to the film, but the fact that every The lights go out anyway, in my opinion it doesn't make sense and even if the reason for this is explained, it still doesn't add anything to the film.

Not everything from way back stays .. well behind! No pun intended - you have a movie with great performances ... but the story may be a bit muddled for some. It may not be the easiest to keep up all the time. I am not complaining nor am I trying to blame those who may feel that way. Just pointing something out that I feel might be an issue.

All that said, this does not achieve any level of other movies with same or similar themes and crime stuff. Still the main character is well painted (again no pun intended) and you will be interested what happens to him and his loved ones. What more could you wish for in a movie? The ending is quite out there ... and I may be questioning methods used and choices taken ... but it is what it is ... and it is quite intriguing!

Rome is on fire! There is a fire somewhere near the Italian capital. Unbearable heat hangs over the Eternal City as Vasco (Adriano GIANNINI) prepares pasta for his two sons. But his eyes keep wandering to the tablet, which shows pictures of a strange party. There, 16-year-old Manuel (Gianmarco FRANCHINI), who has just been looking after his father (Toni SERVILLO) who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, is on some strange mission. Due to the forest fire nearby, there are frequent short power outages. The events at the party become increasingly obscene. It soon becomes clear that Manuel is not there voluntarily. He just wants out. But in the relentless city of Rome, in some circles you can't survive without the right people. In Manuel's case, these are his father's old friends (Valerio MASTANDREA as Pol Niuman and Pierfrancesco FAVINO as Cammello). With these veterans of Roman crime, Manuel can take on his blackmailers...

Director Stefano SOLLIMA only gradually allows his audience to decipher the complex background of his story. In beautiful images of the city of Rome, which shimmer with heat even at night, we experience a modern crime story with the ever-new ingredients of corruption, blackmail, murder and lost honor. Masterfully staged!

Two mega stars of Italian cinema deliver an absolute brilliant performance. Pierfrancesco FAVINO (EUROPEAN FILM AWARD Nominee 2019 for IL TRADITORE and 2022 for NOSTALGIA) and Toni SERVILLO (EUROPEAN FILM AWARD Winner 2008 for IL DIVO and 2013 for LA GRANDE BELLEZZA) could be aging revenants from the heyday of Italian gangster films of the 1970s and the 1980s. There is even a clever quote from the Hollywood classic THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995), about which, however, we shouldn't reveal too much.

As the son of ACADEMY AWARD nominee Giancarlo GIANNINI (nominated for PASQUALINO SETTEBELLEZZE in 1977), Adriano GIANNINI is certainly very familiar with CINECITTA's genre masterpieces. With films that Stefano SOLLIMA's father Sergio SOLLIMA could have directed. Adriano GIANNINI was also able to tame mega star MADONNA in SWEPT AWAY (2002) 20 years ago. Here he plays a devoted father who goes too far with his excessive duty of care and also drags two colleagues (Francesco Di LEVA and Lorenzo ADORNI) into the hellhole of crime.

In 2015, director Stefano SOLLIMA impressed heavily with the Italian gangster film SUBURRA. After that he was ready for Hollywood: SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO (2018) and WITHOUT REMORSE (2021). After earning money, he was now able to deliver a genre masterpiece again in Italy. The patience has paid off. In 2023, SOLLIMA was represented in competition at the Venice Film Festival with his remarkable genre film. In my opinion, an accolade that also honors all the films of the POLIZIOTTESCHI genre of the 1970s and 1980s!

In the box office, the film only managed to make $1,225,737 (source: IMDb). May he have more viewers in the programming of the streaming giant NETFLIX!!!

Adagio is a story that deserves to be watched every minute despite its slow tempo. The director skillfully incorporates many details into the narrative that you might think unnecessary, but their presence significantly enhances the quality of the film. The performances and casting are exceptional. The cinematic aesthetic is highly convincing, and the geography of the setting is portrayed extraordinarily. Get ready to watch a top-notch production for Italian cinema.

Adagio has a satisfying finale in terms of storytelling. There are no jarring characters. At times, the directorial craftsmanship reaches the level reminiscent of Luc Besson's Leon, deserving of praise. Lastly, you can't help but anticipate Stefano's new project.

Stefano Sollima returns to delight viewers with his latest masterpiece, "Adagio," relying on the extraordinary performances of Toni Servillo, Pierfrancesco Favino, and Valerio Mastandrea. The film attracts, strikes, and entertains, immersing the audience in a decadent and mournful Rome, where the apocalyptic atmosphere is palpable in every scene. The plot revolves around Manuel, a sixteen-year-old boy entangled in a dangerous blackmail scheme orchestrated by a gang of corrupt carabinieri. In this story, we follow the lives of three former criminals who find themselves involved in one last adventure, facing their old demons. With mastery, director Stefano Sollima explores the dark side of human nature, showing desperation, corruption, and the path to redemption. Through a precise portrayal of the city, Sollima creates an intense and relentless atmosphere that envelops the characters in a whirlwind of violence and redemption. However, despite the undeniable visual appeal and the power of the performances, "Adagio" suffers from an incomplete screenplay, with characters not fully developed and some narrative twists that are not entirely plausible, compromising the coherence and completeness of the story. The climax and resolution are rushed and unsatisfying, leaving some questions open without a convincing conclusion. Nevertheless, the film still manages to capture the viewer's attention, immersing them in a dark and surreal universe where the boundary between good and evil becomes increasingly blurred. A metropolitan noir burning with passion and desire, ready to conquer the heart of anyone who loves art-house cinema. Highly recommended for those who love intense and engaging narratives.