NOSTALGIA
Cert 12A
118 mins
BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language, moderate violence, bloody images
I bet the people of Naples must be heartily fed up with the way their city is portrayed.
If movies were to be believed, it is a hell where organised crime infiltrates daily life and strangers should fear to tread.
Nostalgia is the latest film to bolster the stereotype - only the hardiest soul would set foot in Naples after watching it.
Mario Martone's picture is set in the back streets and its story centres on Felice (Pierfrancesco Favino) who returns to his hometown after 40 years abroad.
He has an emotional reunion with his dying mother (Aurora Quattrocchi) before beginning to retrace the steps of a misspent youth.
This brings him into contact with an outspoken priest (Francesco Di Leva) who is battling to keep young people out of the clutches of criminal gangs.
Felice has his own secret of why he left Naples and what he wants to do upon his return but one of the city's most feared men (Tommaso Ragno) wants him to leave sooner than later.
Nostalgia is intriguing - its tension is created gradually as the audience is given clues about Felice's background and motivation.
But it never quite delivers the explosion that is expected and we had predicted its conclusion long before its end.
Favino makes a quietly determined anti-hero lead and Di Leva is a compelling good guy but Nostalgia needed greater sparks to make it a more memorable thriller.
Reasons to watch: A glimpse into the back streets of Naples
Reasons to avoid: A little bit daft at times
Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: Yes
Overall rating: 7/10
Did you know? Contrary to the impression in films, Italy is one of the safest countries in the world, and although Naples is one of the worst cities in Italy in terms of crime and safety, it is still seven times safer than Boston, USA.
The final word. Mario Martone: "Our past, or anybody’s past, is not a straight line. It veers off in all sorts of directions – so many things have happened. It’s a labyrinth where you’ve had your encounters, both good and bad, where you’ve said some things you shouldn’t have said." Cineuropa
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