memphis-16

Rome, today. Manolo (Andrea Carpenzano) and Mirko (Matteo Olivetti) are two township boy who, during a night of harmless revelry, run over a pedestrian walking in the dark of the roadside. The only thing to do seems turning themselves in, but maybe the Manolo's father (Max Tortora) could avoid any judicial consequences, sending them on an alternative way, definitely darker, from which it's impossible to run away. It turns out they killed a whistleblower that was hiding from the local criminals: a perfect chance to claim the killing and to get ahead in the underworld. This is how begins the remarkable suburban thriller that represents the D'Innocenzo Brothers' debut (Damiano and Fabio D'Innocenzo), presented with thunderous applauses at Berlinale 2018. The picture is released almost in the same time of another work partially written by these twins, the splendid Dogman by Matteo Garrone, where are recognizable the naturality and the realism in the colorful language. It's clear that we are in the groove of films like Don't Be Bad, They Call Me Jeeg, Suburra and Pure Hearts, although Boys Cry was conceived in 2011, well before the quoted works, proper pillars of current imaginary of Roman suburbs. That's the main problem of this film genre jewel: the release timing, for what there's no remedy. Said this the picture remains a must see of the current season, the credible reconstruction of a painful coming of age of two young men born and raised in a harmful context to their personal aspiration, a land where it's impossible to go beyond what's is "enough" to get by. The nihilism and the pessimism are returned by the sublime trials of the two protagonists (Carpenzano and Olivetti are perfectly complementary, the first reflexive and sore, the second impetuous and impulsive: Moon and Sun), well assisted by excellent supporting actors as Luca Zingaretti and Max Tortora. "Boys Cry" communicates an absolute pity on a generation with the soul corrupt by a society and families unworthy (we see a father send his son to the crime way), making room for loss, amorality and abandonment of own aspirations. Manolo and Mirko seem two ronin, two loose cannons without neither control nor ideas, dominated by a perverse sense of cupio dissolvi. This is the best way to start for the D'Innocenzo Brothers, with a picture where are well recognizable a dry style and capable of keeping the finger at the pulse (it is incredible how this varied cast is directed by two beginners). So, "Boys Cry is, without fear of contradiction, one of the best surprises of the season 2017/18 that makes a big mistake in building the final scenes credibility and that suffers the comparison of better previous works. Anyway, the hope is that the moviegoers haven't seen none of the above mentioned films; just in this case they will face a work of remarkable originality and purity.

7.5/10