Saturno contro

I saw the premiere of this film in Florence the other night, with Ozpetek and a lot of the cast (including Accorsi and Buy) in attendance. It will soon have its release throughout Italy but I highly doubt (despite its esteemed cast) that it will make it abroad--for good reason. Having liked "Le fati ignoranti" and been less impressed with "La finestra di fronte," I came to this hopeful but with some reservations. The basic theme (though not the plot, which is too uninteresting to go into) is the same as in those other movies--that family is something one forms among friends and lovers rather than the traditional tight/strangling norms that define Italian family bonds. When Ozpetek really brought this out in "Le fati ignoranti", he seemed like a fresh voice in Italian cinema: unjudgmental, sane, equally interested in straight and gay relationships, kind with actors. Things haven't really changed in the intervening years, but his approach now seems a limitation, or rather, there's nothing to get excited about or involved with in this new film. The stakes seem low, the actors seem unplugged, the melodrama feels forced, and with no especially compelling central character (like Accorsi's in "Fati ignoranti"), there's no real involvement for the audience. Tears are shed, lessons are learned, compassion is shown. This could be a TV movie. It's only the sad state of Italian cinema in general that makes something like this pass for a serious drama. It's not really a bad film or a terrible failure, just something slightly better than mediocre. Is that good enough for one of Italy's leading directors?

Ferzan Ozpetek understands as well as any writer/director today the concept and attending importance of Extended Family. Much as he spoke about the importance of friends who are often more supportive than genetic family in his beautiful film HIS SECRET LIFE, he explores a similar topic in his latest exceptional film SATURNO CONTRO (SATURN IN OPPOSITION). Ozpetek and his co-writer Gianni Romoli have created a story about camaraderie, celebration, shared loss, consolation, and healing among a rather disparate group of Romans that manages to not only underscore our human needs, but also demonstrates how nearly insurmountable hurdles can be managed by the kindness and understanding of true friends.

Davide (Pierfrancesco Favino) is a much admired writer who lives with his artist partner Lorenzo (Luca Argentero) in a healthy, loving relationship. Davide has many admirers who wish to fall under his influence as a writer and Lorenzo likewise has many friends who are devoted to him. These friends gather at the home of Davide and Lorenzo for meals, parties and celebrations - a place where each of the friends finds compassion for whatever is nibbling away at their happiness. Davide's close friend Antonio (Stefano Accorsi) is married to the beautiful Angelica (Margherita Buy) who is writing a book about smoking and is not aware that her husband is having an affair with florist Laura (Isabella Ferrari) until a mutual friend, translator Neval (Serra Yilmaz) - caring for both friends' concerns - shares the information. The possible disastrous discovery is overshadowed by the sudden subarachnoid hemorrhage suffered by Lorenzo during a communal meal. Each of the friends' lives are halted while they gather at the hospital awaiting the inevitable death of their friend - each with open arms of support for Davide and each other as they find their way through dealing with the circle of life. The story places Lorenzo's tragedy near the beginning of the film: the resolution and coping of the large number of this extended family form the message and the sidebars that explore the sanctity of friendship and caring. There are myriad moments of rare beauty in this little film, moments that include the tenderness of Lorenzo's father's acceptance of Davide's relationship to his son as the funeral is passing, the wordless mending that the death of a friend brings to the dissolving marriage of Angelica and Antonio, and many others.

This is a beautifully photographed film (Gian Filippo Corticelli) and one with a musical score (Giovanni Pellino 'Neffa') that is so subtle that it supports without distraction (much like the presence of Extended Families!). The acting is of the highest quality from some of Italy's finest actors. We can only hope that Ferzan Oztepek continues to create meaningful films such as this for a world that too often settles for finding solace as well as happiness from artificial sources outside the circle of human relationships. In Italian with subtitles. Highly recommended. Grady Harp

This is a film that tries to do for men what countless movies have done for women: expose the real pain men feel when love is lost. We've seen the genre exploited for the female market ad infinitum. We rarely see it for men.

That's the theme of this movie: how do men deal with the loss of love? For those of you who have seen it and are questioning what the movie was about, consider it. . . . There's the lover who abandons, the lover who is abandoned, the father who rejected, and the lover whose lover dies.

Aside from the title, a major clue is the reference to "Rebecca," a film about a man who grieves for lost love, and yet who is accused of murdering that love. It is perhaps the ultimate movie about submerged male emotion. In that film the woman (the second wife) is both a participant and an observer, as is the case with most of the women in this film. Then there's the title, a reference to a Saturnalia, a "party" where traditional roles are reversed. In this movie, it is the women who observe the men dealing with lost love, not the other way around as it usually is.

It's not difficult for me to understand the "tepid response" of some reviewers, particularly those who are male. Males are so unplugged from this part of life that it is understandable they could watch a whole movie about lost love and not recognize what it is.

Once again, Ozpetek introduce us to an unorthodox gathering in the shape of a family. The gay couple Perfrancesco Favino and Luca Argentero are a model couple. Lovely, talented, kind. The heterosexual couple, Margherita Buy and Stefano Accorsi are also kind even if infidelity and other obstacles complicate their life but only momentarily. Now, okay, it all looks fine but I couldn't quite figure out what was I looking at. The story unfolds without any rhyme or reason. Did I miss something important? Favino is totally credible and Argentero is eye candy of the most delightful kind. Ennio Fantastichini is funny and pathetic, Stefano Accorsi is Stefano Accorsi and Margherita Buy manages a very civilized matrimonial crisis. Serra Yilmaz does her thing, beautifully of course, but hardly new. The only surprise was Lunetta Savino, an ex hairdresser and Argentero's step mom. Her character brings a much needed truth to the proceedings. It is, perhaps, the best written character. Somebody asked me what the film was about and I couldn't quite answer. I think that's were the problem resides. If Ferzan Ozpetek had something to say I completely missed it. However, the beauty of the people on the screen kept me awake and somehow engaged.

Ferzan Ozpeteck returns to familiar territory but without the nerve, and self assuredness that he shown in the much better "Le Fatte Ignoranti" This time we're introduced to an unusual little group of friends doing all the usual things. Loving and and deceiving, being honest and compassionate, blatant, timid, courageous, self effacing. At times I thought "Saturno Contro" was going to deal with the tough theme that a gay lover is not a relative with all its thorny connotations but not such luck. Our characters are much more sophisticated and, apparently, the society they all live in, as well. There is no real conflict, really. Death is the thing and death is always powerful, specially when it touches the unsuspecting. Pierfrancesco Favino is wonderful. Human to the hilt. Even when he's given a far too long close up with tears that seem to, awkwardly, fight their way out. Luca Argentero, his lover, is definitely beautiful and gets, like Gabriele Garko in "Le Fatte Ignoranti" the most loving, lingering close ups. Again, I couldn't quite connect with Stefano Accorsi as a character or as an actor. Marherita Buy is a delight, as usual and Serra Yilmaz has become already Ozpeteck's good luck charm and she's always fun to watch. All in all, I was moved and annoyed at the same time.