In 1928, King Vidor directed a terrific silent film, "The Crowd". It was about a young couple who live in a big and impersonalized city and it portrays their struggle to maintain their sanity in such a world. In so many ways "Il Posto" is like an updated Italian version of this silent classic.
Ermanno Olmi directs this movie is a sparse and almost documentary style--with very subdued performances and a heightened sense of it just being everyday life. There is no pretty soundtrack, the lighting is often very naturalistic and the acting is very simple and low-key. Some may dislike this, as it does make the movie much slower and less exotic than a typical film--even a typical Italian film. I see it as a further evolution of the Italian Neo-realism style of film making--something that can be super-effective.
Domenico and Antonietta are two very young people (to me they appear about 17) that seek out jobs at a mega-company--one that is very bureaucratic and impersonalized. They not only interview for the jobs but go through very exhaustive testing until they learn that they do have jobs. Much of the film portrays all the many steps needed to obtain the jobs. Unfortunately for Domenico, the job he wants as a clerk is filled, so he takes a job as an office boy until something better is available.
For 93 minutes the film tells the story of these young people. However, there really are never any fireworks or excitement--just a straight telling of this period in their lives. Not surprisingly, the young and not particularly flashy actor and actress that starred in this film had very limited film careers--Loredana Detto (Antoinetta) only appearing in this film and Sandro Panseri (Domenico) only having three credits. They just seemed like ordinary folks--a strength in this movie but not something that will usually cause an acting career to flourish.
Overall, this is a well-made but not particularly exciting film. I can respect the subdued style but wish the film had just a bit more energy--though I can understand that would have most likely not been the sort of film they had envisioned. Its mundane nature IS the point of the film--that life can be very ordinary and monotonous. It just makes for a tough viewing experience, however. If you are very patient, the film is well worth your time.
Ermanno Olmi directs this movie is a sparse and almost documentary style--with very subdued performances and a heightened sense of it just being everyday life. There is no pretty soundtrack, the lighting is often very naturalistic and the acting is very simple and low-key. Some may dislike this, as it does make the movie much slower and less exotic than a typical film--even a typical Italian film. I see it as a further evolution of the Italian Neo-realism style of film making--something that can be super-effective.
Domenico and Antonietta are two very young people (to me they appear about 17) that seek out jobs at a mega-company--one that is very bureaucratic and impersonalized. They not only interview for the jobs but go through very exhaustive testing until they learn that they do have jobs. Much of the film portrays all the many steps needed to obtain the jobs. Unfortunately for Domenico, the job he wants as a clerk is filled, so he takes a job as an office boy until something better is available.
For 93 minutes the film tells the story of these young people. However, there really are never any fireworks or excitement--just a straight telling of this period in their lives. Not surprisingly, the young and not particularly flashy actor and actress that starred in this film had very limited film careers--Loredana Detto (Antoinetta) only appearing in this film and Sandro Panseri (Domenico) only having three credits. They just seemed like ordinary folks--a strength in this movie but not something that will usually cause an acting career to flourish.
Overall, this is a well-made but not particularly exciting film. I can respect the subdued style but wish the film had just a bit more energy--though I can understand that would have most likely not been the sort of film they had envisioned. Its mundane nature IS the point of the film--that life can be very ordinary and monotonous. It just makes for a tough viewing experience, however. If you are very patient, the film is well worth your time.