Miele

MIELE (Honey), Italian, 2013, Directed by Valerian Golino: Starring Jasmine Trinca (Miele) and Carlo Cecchi (Grimaldi) Viewed at Jameson CINEFEST, Miskolc, Hungary, October 2013:

The Italian film Miele had another unusual subject this week, Euthanasia, and a fascinating lead actress, I have never seen before but would like to see much more of after this. Jasmine Trinca is exceptionally beautiful, has a perfect face, globular eyes and slim body, and you simply cannot keep yours eyes off of her -- even dressed as she is in this film unglamorously in jeans, and with boyishly close cropped hair. Miele is basically the story (third time this week) of a relationship between a young woman and a much older man; Irene, 31, and Grimaldi (Carlo Cecchi) 74. Irene, nick named "Miele" (honey) has an unusual job which requires her to take trips to Mexico to procure dog killer, Latuna, ostensibly a substance "to put down dogs", but actually a poison to put terminally ill patients out of their misery. The subject is Euthanasia, and the complicated psychology of people who want to end it all. Irene is an illegal suicide assistant and gives the applicants every chance to change their minds, but in the end it is Mr. Grimaldi, a 70 year old man in perfect health but simply tired of living, who will make her change her own mind about the grisly way she has chosen to make a living -- administering illegal drugs and poisons to people who want to die. A bit thin in story line but the hypnotically beautiful lead actress turns it into a compelling sit through ; Jasmine Trinca, 31, was the actress playing Irene. The pic was directed by well known Italian actress Valeria Golino, her first turn behind the cameras, a modt promising debut to say the least.

Trinca, a leading light in Italian films since 2000, received the Italian Golden Globe "Nastro d'argento" best actress award this year for her work in "Miele" and the film itself was screened at Cannes in "Un certain regard" where it won a commendation by the Ecumenical jury, a body whose function is to show support for Good Christian values. One can easily see why since suicide is a mortal sin in the Catholic Church.

Ten stars -- Jasmine Trinca will give you a reason to live another day

Avoiding judgement on euthanasia, Mrs. Golino leaves the verdict to the viewer, not enforcing it, though. The two main characters, quite opposite in points (sex, age, philosophy) are charming and I enjoyed them a lot in a smoothly running movie. I agree with the majority of reviewers on the attractive Jasmine, her eyes are pure magic. Her acting is excellent, too. Suggested unconditionally!

'Honey' is an Italian/French co-production about euthanasia. A young woman (Jasmine Trinca, who has absolutely gorgeous eyes) helps those seriously ill people who wish to end their suffering to do so. She does this work because she believes it is the right thing to do, although she's no campaigner. But her self-confidence is challenged by Grimaldi (Carlo Cecchi), a middle-aged man who requests her help to die not because he is suffering, but simply because he is tired of life. A relationship of - perhaps - mutual fascination forms between the pair as Honey tries to understand Grimaldi's choice and to convince him to change his mind, while Grimaldi stubbornly insists the whys and wherefores are none of her business - he simply wants to employ her to help him die.

Trinca does well in her leading role, convincing in a detachment that gradually turns into greater emotional involvement in what she's doing. In his role as 'grouchy old man', Cecchi is offered less scope. The film does not seem to judge whether euthanasia is right or wrong, but allows the viewer to make up his/her own mind. The ending is perhaps needlessly soppy, but done in a thankfully low-key way. All-in-all, well worth seeing.

Miele has an interesting and believable main character that pulls you in and keeps you entertained from start to finish. Its story revolving around the contrast between life and feeling alive, and death and the feelings death creates was very well crafted and shot. It's not mainstream but also not too weird to watch. It hits a sweet spot and also leaves a flavor of Italy (and a little bit of Mexico and Turkey) in a good way.

I agree completely with the 3 other reviews. I mostly wanted to rave about this actress, Jasmine Trinca. She is really SOMEthing! She is unusually beautiful and elfin, w/ her Audrey Hepburn haircut, but that attribute is never mentioned in the film, and all the attention is on her laser sharp focus on her mission: traveling, procuring,returning and overseeing her Mexican contraband used by terminally ill people in Italy who wish to end their lives. She takes everything VERY seriously, and it is quite something when she finally smiles, near the film's end. I know using 'girl' instead of woman is not PC, but in this case, she looks soooo young (like 17,even though she was actually twice that old !) That, and maybe her naiveté, made me think of her as a girl.

The very unusual, complex and never explained relationship that develops w/ the 'grumpy old man' is the crux of the story, and the catalyst for change. For me, the film's ending depicted an act that was a true affirmation of Love, and I felt very satisfied by that.Film endings are rarely this successful. But you do have to figure it all out for yourself, because all the visual clues are there for you, but the dialogue never reveals most of what I picked up from watching it. Honey makes for a great conversation piece, about matters that really mean something in how we live our lives. A completely compelling and engrossing experience.