7/10
Some gems, some doubts.
16 October 2004
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILERS - sorry for the foreign language.

Somewhere between the bitter lightness of Virzì, and Ligabue. Much closer to Ligabue, however. Unfortunately, it's neither of the two. The first of several doubts which come to mind: who might have thought that the combination "radio+Bologna+70s" was not exhausted with Radio Freccia? Needless to remind Freccia's unmatched performance in his descent due to jealousy.

Second doubt: why so many nude scenes? Oh well, naked teen actresses are more exciting than models, but too much is too much.

Third doubt. Urban war scenes in Bologna are too much, as well. Unnecessary for a movie which does not claim to be history, and risk being counterproductive when someone could think they exalt loitering "for a good end".

Apart this, what remains?

People that want to change, either the world or their own condition, and all to a good purpose, but all, to the end, stopped from one hand on the head - larger than them. Immigrants: the ridicule dream of escaping even further.

The eager volunteers of the radio: what can aesthetics and words change? The lawyer of the wretches: "I don't care to go in jail, at least I'll learn something". The professional delinquent, who in jail has learned something.

And above all, the unforgettable police officers. The lieutenant, slave of the power, but he himself victim of society and his own role. His wife's phone call is unforgettable: "someone has called our son an handicapped". "Pretend to be respected: you are the wife of a police officer". Is he so prig? Not. After a minute, camera looks on a family photo; he is there with his son, who is really affected by the Down syndrome.

Far from negligible also the lower-grade southern officer, than puts all of his effort to ask in a formal tone a decent "receiving apparatus apt to listen to the transmissions of the subversive radio".

Quotes struck - Paz "we are not in a comic strip"; the extinguisher in hands to a police officer before the homicide of manifesting.

Striking is the similarity with the facts of the recent history: the dead protester, the irruption in the broadcasting radio (whose recording is nearly identical to that one of G8 2001 in Genova). Even the words used against the radio - "pornography" - were the same heard from the Italian right-wing party spokesman about the recent forced shutdown of Indymedia.org (2004)

8/10
0 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed