I walked out of the cinema in which "Tre metri sopra il cielo" had just been shown with mixed feelings. At an immediate level, I was pleased to have seen a nice teenager flick, well acted by promising young people, a captivating story, and so on. But when I discussed the film later with my friend, I found myself to be somewhat angered. Like they had made a fool out of myself.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS: 3MSC is about the world of teenagers in Rome, and the juxtaposition of two worlds: Babi's (a good student, a perfect daughter, a virgin dreaming of a Blue Prince) and Step's (a violent boy, doing anything of his life except earning some illegal money at clandestine motorcycle races, even if he is the son of a rich man). Despite all their differences, the two young people end up falling in love (of course). And of course all their differences will bring Heaven and Hell, moments of joy but lots of troubles in their relationship. Fine. Nothing very original, but it's soooo difficult do produce original flicks nowadays! What worries me a bit (and the reason of my little anger) is "what lies beneath", the thesis of the film: it is obvious that you are supposed to sympathise with Step. Babi's world is fake, full of formal habits that make the lives of this upper-class family empty. Step's life, on the contrary, is the adventure, the excitement, the way to experience the new. This is the film's thesis. But this, even with my 20 years of age and my being a sinistrorse, I can't accept. Nothing could ever convince me that I have to stay on the side of someone who always solves the troubles he faces by beating everyone; who steals; who thinks that the better way to obtain something is to shout louder than the other people around him. No, I won't accept it even if this someone is twenty, has green eyes, a fine smile (when nobody has beaten him in return) and a handsome physical appearance. No, I'm sorry. And I'm sorry because a lot of 14-year-old girls will see this film and walk out of the cinema with an innocent smile on their faces thinking "THIS is the guy I WANT TO MEET in my life". And at this delicate age, this is quite dangerous. That's why I was angered.
I don't want, saying this, to destroy totally this film. As I said, at an immediate level you can actually enjoy a story not very original, but finely shot,&acted by two young actors (Riccardo Scamarcio and Katy Louise Saunders) we'll see often in the future. The important thing, if you are a 12-to-19 person, is not to get badly influenced by what I told before. An average flick? Sure. But a "Film of Cultural Interest" (as they say at the beginning of the film)? A "Cult"? (as on the first page of the book on which the film is based)? Please. Italian cinema nowadays offers far better.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS: 3MSC is about the world of teenagers in Rome, and the juxtaposition of two worlds: Babi's (a good student, a perfect daughter, a virgin dreaming of a Blue Prince) and Step's (a violent boy, doing anything of his life except earning some illegal money at clandestine motorcycle races, even if he is the son of a rich man). Despite all their differences, the two young people end up falling in love (of course). And of course all their differences will bring Heaven and Hell, moments of joy but lots of troubles in their relationship. Fine. Nothing very original, but it's soooo difficult do produce original flicks nowadays! What worries me a bit (and the reason of my little anger) is "what lies beneath", the thesis of the film: it is obvious that you are supposed to sympathise with Step. Babi's world is fake, full of formal habits that make the lives of this upper-class family empty. Step's life, on the contrary, is the adventure, the excitement, the way to experience the new. This is the film's thesis. But this, even with my 20 years of age and my being a sinistrorse, I can't accept. Nothing could ever convince me that I have to stay on the side of someone who always solves the troubles he faces by beating everyone; who steals; who thinks that the better way to obtain something is to shout louder than the other people around him. No, I won't accept it even if this someone is twenty, has green eyes, a fine smile (when nobody has beaten him in return) and a handsome physical appearance. No, I'm sorry. And I'm sorry because a lot of 14-year-old girls will see this film and walk out of the cinema with an innocent smile on their faces thinking "THIS is the guy I WANT TO MEET in my life". And at this delicate age, this is quite dangerous. That's why I was angered.
I don't want, saying this, to destroy totally this film. As I said, at an immediate level you can actually enjoy a story not very original, but finely shot,&acted by two young actors (Riccardo Scamarcio and Katy Louise Saunders) we'll see often in the future. The important thing, if you are a 12-to-19 person, is not to get badly influenced by what I told before. An average flick? Sure. But a "Film of Cultural Interest" (as they say at the beginning of the film)? A "Cult"? (as on the first page of the book on which the film is based)? Please. Italian cinema nowadays offers far better.