L'IMMENSITA

In small, fleeting moments of childish mischief, first kisses and dinner table interaction L’immensitá is an immensely enjoyable slice of life. If only the movie could have contained that energy throughout.

The great strength of L’immensitá, a new film by Italian director Emanuele Crialese, is contained in its power to immerse you into the childhood of the main characters and make it seem as though you are re-living your own upbringing. In those small, fleeting moments of childish mischief, first kisses and dinner table interaction L’immensitá is an immensely enjoyable slice of life.

If only the picture as a whole could have captured that energy Crialese would have had a very special film on his hands. Unfortunately, this is where the movie stumbles.

For one, it is never clear whose story is being told here. Is it mom Penelope Cruz, stuck in a loveless marriage? Is it her eldest daughter, struggling with her gender identity? Is it an allegory for Italy itself, longing to escape the mundanity of seventies suburbia?

This lack of clear focus, combined with prolonged, repetitive and often unnecessary fantasy sequences, doesn’t detract from the fine filmmaking on display, but it does have you wondering as you leave the theatre: how much of this will I actually remember?

release: 2022

director: Emanuele Crialese

starring: Penélope Cruz, Vincenzo Amato, Luana Giuliani, Patrizio Francioni