Review of Before the Revolution

1st watched 10/17/2005 - 3 out of 10(Dir-Bernardo Bertolucci): Confusing, talkative, political romantic drama, I think. This is one of Bernardo Bertolucci's first films and was supposedly a breakthru film for him, but I just didn't get it. It probably has something to do with the fact that I'm an American with very little understanding of the Italian Revolution and what it meant for the people who lived there, but it also has to do with Bertolucci's lack of any kind background given to the characters. We are greeted with the main character, Fabrizio, running through the streets with his thoughts being displayed as he runs. He meets up with a friend who he urges to become a member of the Party(the Italian Communist Party) and the next thing we know he drowns, and we're at his funeral. Here Fabrizio, reacquaints himself with Aunt Gina, whom he met at another funeral years before, and they start a deeper relationship that lasts thru most of the rest of the movie. The only other character of note is a Communist Tutor named Cesaro, whom Fabrizio speaks highly of but once we meet him we're not quite sure why. Nothing really happens besides this and no-one really does any kind of changing from the beginning to the end and we're left with what appears to be a silly romantic movie in the end. This is at least, all I was able to get out of this movie despite it's attempts at getting me to understand something else. I'm sorry, it just didn't happen for me.