As teen angst films have become prolific since the 1950's, Hollywood has been able to bring us many different ways to show us how young adults come into their being. Every decade explores new and different ways to allow these teens to see what they need to do to find themselves. And with every decade, cultural changes ensue and complexities can be the order of the day. When "Moonlight" was released last year, it brought its audience a look of what it's like to be forced to 'come out'. Well, "Call Me by Your Name" reiterates that look.
This story is a sensual and transcendent tale of first love. It's the summer of 1983 in the north of Italy, and Elio Perlman (Timothee Chalamet), a precocious 17-year-old young man, spends his days in his family's 17th century villa transcribing and playing classical music, and reading and flirting with his friend Marzia (Esther Garrel). Elio enjoys a close relationship with his father (Michael Stuhlbarg), an eminent professor specializing in Greco-Roman culture, and his mother Annella (Amira Casar), a translator, who favor him with the fruits of high culture in a setting that overflows with natural delights. While Elio's sophistication and intellectual gifts suggest he is already a fully-fledged adult, there is much that yet remains innocent and unformed about him, particularly about matters of the heart. One day, Oliver (Armie Hammer), a 24-year-old American college graduate student working on his doctorate, arrives as the annual summer intern tasked with helping Elio's father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of the setting, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever.
Others to round out the cast are Victoire Du Bois as Chiara, Vanda Carriolo as Mapalda, Antonio Rimoldi as Anchiese, Elena Bucci as Art Historian 1, Marco Sgrosso as Art Historian 2, Andre Aciman as Mounir and Peter Spears as Isaac.
This was poignantly and delicately directed by Luca Guadagnino ("The Protagonists" '99, "Melissa P." '05, "I Am Love" '09, "A Bigger Splash" '15) plus documentaries and shorts. This filmmaker is a consummate pro when it comes to encouraging his actors to extract the most subtlest of emotion to reach that particular impact he's attempting to convey to his audience. Even though both Chalamet and Hammer gives quite the performances, the direction was spot on. It was written by veteran writer James Ivory ("The Guru" '69, "Savages" '72, "Quartet" '81, "Maurice" '87, "The Divorce" '03) plus others, documentaries and TV, based on a novel by Andre Aciman. Ivory's script was delineated with precision and cohesiveness and well thought out. As the summer unfolded, one could see these two get closer and closer in the most realistic, yet subtle ways. The emotions ran the gambit: uncertainty, anger, aloofness, fear and love. This all takes talented writing coupled with fine performances. The only negative I could see with this is that it was a bit slow in places and was a little long-in-the-tooth. I realize it takes time and character development to connect these two guys into any type of relationship considering they didn't know one another, however there was a bit too much time and effort in getting these two to connect. Otherwise this story was compelling and involved. As with any life going through the growing pains, this shows the awkwardness, the pain, the desperation, and the well-being of finding oneself.
This was extremely well written, directed and acted and it is no wonder that it obtained the Oscar nods that it did. I suspect that the message here is to not push oneself into a life that scares you to death unless exploration, reflection and patience come into play.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 132mins.
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