C'è ancora domani

Paola Cortellesi is extremely talented, both as an actress and a comedian. Now we can also add directing to her resume. This movie has issues, but the undeniable truth is that it's very lovable. The main character is very sympathetic, simple on a psychological level but nonetheless believable. The other standout of the movie is Emanuela Fanelli, who could probably improve every movie she's in at this point. The movie succeeds in creating a lot of tension. There's a specific control of space (the main character moving through the same places every day) that adds a sense of intimacy, of smallness of the world, and at the same time of claustrophobia when Delia (the protagonist) feels trapped in it. An excellent control of tension. Conflicts that would seem small actually appear big and important because of it. The way things all of a sudden become surreal and movie-like help us enter the mind of the character. The best scene in the movie incorporates a weird mix of lighting, camera, choreography and anachronistic in a weird creepy way that I never really see in Italian cinema these days. I would call this movie quirky, nostalgic and heartfelt. An impressive directorial feat.

Now the issues: the concept of the story is not bad, but it's also a bit superficial in tying the personal with the political. The character of the young son-in-law takes a weird behavioral shift that doesn't feel natural. The movie can't fully decide whether to be psychological (where the reality is a grotesque reflection of Delia's psyche) or realistic (where other non-main characters, even villains, actually have depth and believability). The Vinicio Marchioni character is pointless and honestly feels like a mere plot device, a misdirect. There's a moment where two characters who speak different languages all of a sudden understand each other for no reason other than to move the plot. Also the bait-n-switch at the end is weird for a number of reasons, and goes in an unforeseeable direction that feels more like Cortellesi preaching at the audience directly than anything character related. And lastly, the music: some songs worked, but the choice to incorporate music with various degrees of anachronism makes the movie feel fake, like we're not actually watching a period piece but a director toying with an aesthetic to make a point. And that undermines the sincerity of the whole thing.

That's it, that's all I have to say. Movie is good, it's fun, it's tense, it's sad, it's creepy. An outlier in the current Italian cinema landscape.

I will start by saying that I really love Paola Cortellesi, she is one of the finest Italian actresses of these times, capable of offering the greatest laughs and the most bitter tears, thanks to her versatile acting skills.

This happens throughout this film too. She is Delia, a middle-aged woman who lives with her husband, three children and her nasty father-in-law in terribly harsh conditions. She struggles to make ends meet and to sustain her family, while suffering domestic abuse and dreaming of a past love. When her daughter gets engaged to the son of the local café owner, she senses that her she risks embarking in a life of strain and violence, just like hers.

I loved the performances in this film: Paola Cortellesi, Vittorio Mastandrea (one of my favourite actors), Giorgio Colangeli and Emanuela Fanelli. The use of black and white was clever, as it gives the film a poetic look. I also appreciated the bittersweet scenes: tragedy mixed with comedy.

Nevertheless I wouldn't call this a masterpiece as I thought the storyline was a bit forced, especially with the final surprising end, which seems a bit too detached from the rest of the film...

"C'è ancora domani" is a very pretty film set in a post-WW2 Rome that centers around Delia and her family composed by two young children, a daughter who is about to engage, a violent husband and his father. Thematically the core of the movie is the treatment reserved to women in that era, which is still a significant discussion nowadays because though better than in the 40s' the issue is not solved at all. What I particularly liked about this discussion is the tone because it's not too dark allowing everyone to appreciate the movie and receive the message, but at the same time it's not too light thus avoiding to lose its impact. An example of this which I think was very effective is the treatment of the domestic violence scene that is depressing but there's a gimmick that lightens it while creating a bittersweet contrast. Furthermore the movie has more jokes than what I expected and it relies on a versatile cast able to be dramatic and comedic at the same time. However, even if properly done in most of the instances, few laughs were audible through the theatre because they are more tension reliefs than actual wanted funny moments. And also the final twist is pretty good. The movie did an excellent job in creating a narration that leads to something to then shift towards something else in an elegant way. There are few things that could have been better, in particular the final part of the engagement storyline which I think went outside of the overall tone, but in general they don't compromise too much the final result.

In conclusion I think that "C'è ancora domani" is a film everyone should watch for two reasons. The first one is related to the messages conveyed, while the second one is also pretty relevant: it's a good movie that will entertain all audiences for almost two hours. And this is not a small thing at all.

Ill start saying that an applaude rose spontaneously in the theater at the end of the movie. Everyone one was super emotional, I believe each of them for different reasons. Mine is that the movie depicted perfectly the status of women just right after the end of 2WW and the challenges they had to face in everyday life. Something that feels so far way from now, but still not so far away considering all the injustices women nowadays have to live with in every aspect of their life.

Well, the protagonist tries really hard for find a balance dealing with a violent husband, multiple jobs, 3 children and an annoying father in law, but she also surrounds herself with good friends and women with strong personalities.

The pace of the film Is entertaining, great comedy moments, costumes very on point, and the use of the camera very intelligent (at one point, I even recognize an angle that reminded of a famous painting of the Mantegna , the Cristo Morto) Beautiful selection of music as well.

But honestly what really made the film great and emotional, is the finale. It's worth going to the cinema to watch this movie just for this reason.

Obviously I'll not spoiler anything, but be ready to say: wow , what a great debut from Paola Cortellesi.

Very interesting debut: a mix of comedy (one-liners), drama (domestic violence), romance (love and friendship). The correct ingredients for a wonderful result. Rome in black & white appears too be a little "didactic", like a good "copy" of old times (just after the 2WW), but pleasant and very faithful to the original one. Delia is a woman like many others, in a common enough situation in those days. The final twist, which slowly makes its way, amazes and exalts the viewer. A spontaneous applause rose at the end of the movie, in a suburban cinema, in Rome. The same Rome that Paola Cortellesi makes us regret.