Quello che cerchi

Marco Simon Puccioni's Quello che cerchi (What You're Looking For) was a remarkable debut feature even for todays standard and established him as one of the most original voices in contemporary Italian cinema.

With innovative storytelling and a fresh directorial vision, Puccioni earned its well-deserved nomination for 2003 Best New Director at the David di Donatello Awards.

One of the film's greatest strengths lies in its unconventional narrative structure. Puccioni deftly weaves together moments of the past and present, allowing the story to unfold in a non-linear fashion that mirrors the fragmented and complex inner world of the protagonist. This approach not only draws the audience deeper into the character's psyche but also enhances the emotional impact. The film challenges traditional storytelling norms, making every scene feel unpredictable yet meaningful.

The film blends several genres like film noir, road movie and family melodrama with subtle poetic elements creates a cinematic language that feels both grounded and transcendent. The film's intimate moments between the adult detective and the young runaway are beautifully juxtaposed with broader societal observations, offering a multi-layered narrative that reflects both personal and collective struggles. The originality of Puccioni's vision is evident in every frame, from the carefully composed visuals to the nuanced exploration of identity and belonging.

The cast delivers performances of remarkable authenticity. The protagonist's journey (played by underrated Marcello Mazzarella) is brought to life with a raw emotional depth. Antal Nagy - (unfortunately in his one and only appearance on screen) leaves his mark as the young rebel. The supporting characters are equally compelling, adding layers of complexity and texture to the story.

Finally, even if at the end Quello che cerchi is far from perfection, it was ahead of its time for innovative storytelling and artistic originality. Marco Simon Puccioni has crafted a film that is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally evocative, setting a high standard for debut features. For audiences seeking a film that even now challenges conventions Quello che cerchi is exactly what you're looking for.

I saw this film on DVD, after seeing Puccioni's second feature at the theater, here in saint Petersburg, Very different film indeed, but with something in common with this. After seeing both films I believe he is one of the best new director from Italy. Quello che cerchi (что йшет он - in Russian) is a moody, personal film which makes you trip in sea of continuous change, where identity and behavior continuously shift. It's an unpredictable movie, with sparks of great imagination- I liked it a lot, but only give a 8 instead of a ten because I liked Riparo better, because it is a more controlled film, with a powerful comment on modern society. I still praise что йшет он because it has a rare force to renew an old theme like the search for one's origin and identity. They are both very humanistic and very interesting.

I just returned from the second screening of this film in American. The director a former Cal arts grad return tonight to showcase his first feature film, along with his DP.

This is one of those movies that not many get to see and it is a shame too. It is a low low budget DV masterpiece that merges surrealism and reality to create a world of it's own. This a very deep and multilayered account of depressed man and a boy who is lost and needs to find answer by finding his MOM. There is so much great stuff i can write about this movie.

I don't have enough words or time to describe this movie or piece of art.

It is both political and gentle, homoerotic and romantic, it is full of mystery and beauty. All actor give brilliant performances and really gives themselves to this picture.

The director shoot 80 hours of footage in a doc/free style that he boiled down to 1 hour 40 mins.. You can tell, this effort gives each character a very deep soul.

Anyway see this movie if you can and if you can't yell.

10 out of 10