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Amongst casual cinema goers, as most of us are, the term “European arthouse film” leads to a revolting black and white stereotype where the majority of us need a degree in art history and a well-thumbed-through thesaurus in order to understand the plot points. This stereotype is enforced when, like what happened in this particular screening of I Am Love, the couple next to you can be heard uncorking a bottle of wine and pouring it into plastic cups. Anecdotes and needless assumptions aside, does Tilda Swinton’s recent voyage into Italian cinema make for enjoyable watching or is it another example of the emperor’s new film?
I Am Love tells the story of Emma Recchi (Tilda Swinton), a Russian-born daughter of an art restorer who managed to marry into a higher sphere of society of a wealthy Milanese family. For years Emma (a name given to her by her husband so that she would fit into his world) has easily played into the role of an Italian wife, but after a family dinner to celebrate the birthday of the family patriarch, the ties that bind begin to come undone.
Such a plot should feel tired since this is not the most original one available, but the execution makes this something that you are unlikely to see too often in our cinemas. The inclusion of Tilda Swinton as a lead actress is surely a boon since the use of an English-language Oscar-winning actress is a guaranteed way to garner our attention and as such it has been very well advertised in terms of an arthouse film. However, this inclusion has also guaranteed a gripping performance that draws you in and charms you with every nuance of her performance; in fact it is probably stronger than her award-winning role in Michael Clayton.
The director too has a great eye for colour and detail with many lingering shots adding to the emotional impact. There also has to be a mention for the use of costuming and furniture in every scene which are always a feast for the eyes with enough vibrant colours to fully engage our senses whilst also not being too overwhelming. There are times some of these nature shots can feel overused with a few cuts so oddly made they make you feel dizzy, but for the most part these feelings are fleeting.
Also of note is the heavy use of music which underpins the entire film to make it an archetypal melodrama. On the whole the score is well used and acts as the perfect accompaniment to the scene, but there are times where it may seem a little too intrusive – as with most things, it will likely be a taste thing.
As a film I Am Love will never be perfect but it contains enough interesting yarns and thought-out characters to continuously engage the viewer whilst the music and mise en scène satisfactorily stimulates the senses. It would act as the perfect bridge for those newcomers to the world of the art film.
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