À corps perdus

Here is a movie which is better than the book it is adapted from. Not unlike film version of "the Hours", the film version of "Non Ti Muovere - Don't Move" surpasses the quality of the book. Castellito proves that not only is he one of the best actors in Italy but he is also a first-rate movie director. His directing puts in an amazing load of emotions into a story which was depicted rather coldly in the book. The scene where Castellito-Timeteo has a fight with Cruz-Italia after she announces that she underwent an abortion is worthy of movie anthologies. One of the best surprises of the film is undoubtedly Penelope Cruz that emerges from the castrating roles in Hollywood and proves herself as an emotionally intense actress. I hope the film receives the acclaim it deserves in its showing at the Cannes Festival in May.

The film is almost surreal. It is difficult to imagine a genuine romance arising out of a rape scene. But the film hints - leaving the viewer to decide for one's self - that Italia's abusive childhood made her desperate for love - any love. Similarly, Tino's hate for his father may have been a factor in his becoming the dissolute adult he is.

It is significant that Tino's wife, with whom he has fallen out of love, is an attractive, affectionate, professionally successful woman. Italia, his mistress is plain looking and older than her years.

We have to suspect that wife suspects. Yet Tino's frequent, prolonged and unexplained absences are simply glossed over. This sort of simplifies things, but it is rather difficult for the viewer to accept.

Watching this movie I couldn't stop thinking of a great Italian novel, "Un amore" (probably translated in English as "A love") by Dino Buzzati. Both treat the subject of an impossible love, but Buzzati's is much more concrete and much better. "Non ti muovere" lacks psychological insight, the characters seem too void, the relationships between them don't have that something that would make them seem real.It's very possible that one simply doesn't get it. This could and should have been an interesting depiction of a middle-age crisis, of a person who just doesn't fit in the picture that it's his life, but instead it's a seemingly meaningless love story, with an unaesthetic Penelope Cruz, who, unfortunately for her is no great actress.

Emotionally intense movie handled unflinchingly by lead actor Castellitto. This immersive character study into an unfulfilled doctor's love affair is a tad too lengthy and perhaps the director indulges in his on screen action a little too much, but the dedication that the two ill-fated lovers give to portraying the rawness of their emotions and instincts will, despite once in a while misfiring, leave few viewers unfazed. Penelope Cruz is great as the counterpoint, and deserves much respect for assuming such a demanding, unglamorous role at this point in her well established career. Obviously it is the love of acting that propels her(no comparison to her English jobs), as this mildly received Italian film must have been several notches down from her draw, but when you see the psychologically harrowing sex scenes (not always for the sex, but for the right before and right after) you realize why someone would be interested in such intimate work. As the film slightly overextends itself to reach it's climax which sort of dumbs down it's poignant theme, the performances and overall taste left are nonetheless real and life affirming despite all of it's muddied ramifications.

Note: Penélope Cruz' character Italia is, if at all comparable to Federico Fellinis work the legitimate continuation of Giulietta Masina's character Cabiria from "Le Notti di Cabiria", not Gelsomina from "La Strada".

Having said this I will briefly add this comment to mention that "Non ti muovere" is one of the two best films I have seen so far.

So another comment in favor of Castellito's amazing piece work.

Make up your own mind. In response to some of the other comments that suggest this is a study in S&M or that many viewers might consider this film "High Art", I say it's neither. It is basically a powerful love-story/soap opera that is beautifully directed, acted and edited and will either leave you cold and furious or emphatic and happy, depending on your sensibility. It's about finding life and in doing so finding something to believe in.

A doctor who has become the world's biggest pragmatist finally encounters a woman who takes away everything he once thought mattered.

It's Italian melodrama in its purest form. For some people this can be very effective, for others purely wasteful. There's nothing in between. But aren't these the movies usually worth seeing the most?