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Valerio Zurlini is not a household name but he is a director I love, Here he has the great Enrico Medioli as his writing partner and Alain Delon as his leading man. Cold, arid, fascinating tale. From Delon's substitute professor to Sonia Petrova's beautiful student nobody ever smiles, or very rarely. The wonderful Giancarlo Giannini is the one that brings the color and the joy and Alida Valli provide us with one hell of a scene. Rimini is also a character, a cold Rimini, out of business and an air of Fellini's I Vitelloni in the air. Very rewarding in its desolation.

Extraordinary real life event transformed into a rather embarrassing show of opportunism. Alek Skarlatos, Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone are likable men, heroes in real life but as actors...didn't Clint Eastwood know, being an actor himself, that to play yourself you need acting talents. As a consequence Alek Skarlatos, Anthony Sadler and Spencer Stone play themselves, unconvincingly. If we start right there, nothing works. A very disheartening attempt at cashing in from an act of real American courage.