Primo amore

Somewhat based on real events, this movies is a dark tale about the need for control. The plot is very simple: a man, obsessed with the idea of having an extremely thin woman to own entirely, targets a somewhat fragile and lonely girl to make her "perfect". The most disturbing thing is how realistic the movie is, it could be a clinical textbook: the gaslighting, manipulation and love bombing, all the tricks someone can use to brainwash a partner. There's an impending sense of doom and anxiety as the relationship progresses and the man's mask slips to reveal his true face, the one of a narcissist who want to play God.

The dark side of the love. Desire of possession, weakness and psychological games between two lovers in a 2004 Verona pretty far from the Romeo and Juliet one's. Garrone strikes, in spite of the bitter critics he received during the 54.Filmfestival in Berlin, where the film was presented. A majestic photography and a deep care of particulars make the film a small esthetical masterpiece, which make oneself forget, the strong north-east Italian accent of the two main characters. There is a lot of work behind the two main actors, but sometimes you have the feeling they are a little too shallow in comparison to the deep thoughts they do. The theme of anorexia is a sort of taboo in our society, but Garrone deals with it with a lot of maturity and sometimes irony, which bring the audience even deeper in the darkness of the story, until the wonderful monologue which close the curtains. Provocative, but real, Garrone is a tough director.

Vote: 7

I have not seen this director's work before, but will now watch out for it. This film is best watched in reflective silence, to allow the characters to sink in. It asks many questions: how far are we willing to go for love? How can we transform ourselves into ideals without losing our self.. How can we reconcile the cruels hooks of the body with the splendors of the mind? Goldsmith Vittorio obsesses with form, over the essence of things, and finds in his willing, sensual girlfriend Sonia the clay to shape into his idealized form. She sacrifices her cupcakes and cookies to the altar of love, but the desire to find perfection can become the first brush of an abusive spiral.. This is is not a date movie. A movie that leaves the taste of ashes, and yet one that you'll remember.

This movie is not a surprise for people saw "L'imbalsamatore" from the same director, because piece of geniality were present also there. This movie is wonderful, watching it you are satisfy for the choice. The story is incredible, because, as the title say, it speak about love, about two person that meat each other and fall in love, but it is not so simple. The strange love between them is out of mind, and what is incredible to me is the easy way that the watcher understand this love In fact, in my opinion, it should be very hard to take all the parts and reason of this strange love, and Garrone is able to let understand both position. Even if the men position is mentally sick you can realize his position and I think it is because of Garrone. Landscapes and locations are very good, and the perfection of light and color are not new because of the previous movie. Good choice also for the two actors, the man is totally inside the character, the girl really lost weight during shots, that's crazy but ideal for the movie. The music gives the correct atmosphere that's why won same awards. I wonder why these products remain in Italy and is not exported usually it go just to France and Germany but no more.....why? I am proud of this kind of Italian cinema and I would like to know what the foreigners think.

Even though Vitaliano Trevisan (the protagonist) is completely incompetent as an actor and is interepetetion is unbearable, even though the screenplay is pretentious, even though the dialogs are written poorly; the movie managed to not be a completely trash and that's because there are a few great shots but mainly because Michela Cescon's great interpretation give to the story a soul