Sunday, October 19, 2008

London Film Festival Day 5 - A PERFECT DAY

A PERFECT DAY/UN GIORNO PERFETTO is a methodically told, well acted Italian drama that tries to explore the psychology of domestic violence. Director Ferzan Ozpetek opens with the police being called to the apartment of one of their own - a cop called Antonio who works as the bodyguard of an MP. After this framing device we move back 24 hours to see the events leading up to the gun-shots.

Valerio Mastandrea gives a superb performance as Antonio, the cop, driven mad with rage when his abused wife Emma (Isabella Ferrari) finally takes their two children and leaves him. It is testament to the nuances of his performances that the audience can feel sympathy for such a brutal man. Isabella Ferrari is also very convincing in an award-winning performance as the put-upon wife, dressing younger than her age, overlooked by life, unable to take on any more problems. The sub-plot sees Antonio's employer, an MP, losing power and his young wife tempted into leaving him for his son by an earlier marriage.

The central story - based on a novel by Melania Gaia Mazzucco - is powerful and handles a difficult subject with understanding and fine balance. However, the romantic sub-plot reeks of daytime TV soap opera. Nonetheless, insofar as the bulk of the movie is an intelligent adult drama, and such intelligence is rarely seen on our screens, this movie is still worth seeking out.

A PERCECT DAY played London, Toronto and Venice 2008 where Isabella Ferrari won the Pasinetti Award for Best Actress. It opened earlier this year in Italy and opens next week in Turkey.

2 comments:

  1. I must have seen a completely different movie, because I think this movie is simply rubbish. Stay away at all cost!

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  2. Even I saw the same film which you saw Mr. Anonymous. Not the one which is reviewed above. Ferzan looked very confused and the editing was not seamless. Acting was below average. The Character Transformation Graph is missing and due to that the last act does not look very convincing. Also the parallel story was not balanced well. I am still confused who is the main protagonist of the film and if it is the bodyguard , i should say he looked just like a supporting actor. And "who let the teachers out of the school in the night?"
    The filmmaker looks promising in some parts and I really hope a better film from him. He has the talent but needs to work on the totality of the films outcome.

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