The Age of Commercialism

Just what I expected

A Masterpiece!

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

I like Robert De Niro as much as anyone, however the American version of Stanno Tutti Bene reduces the main role encapsulated with such finesse and effortlessness by Marcello Mastroianni that I must insist the original be viewed to compare...I recommend anyone with a genuine appreciation of Italian cinema to rent this movie. Sadly it remains unavailable in DVD. I am advised that it will soon be.Stanno tutti Bene is without a doubt one of Mastroianni's finest performance,he captures both our eyes and our hearts as an endearing Italian patriarch. The story is simple spiced by moments of pure emotion and also humour. A sombre,sad,almost clown like humour is projected by Mastroianni's interpretation the evident disconnection with reality he is faced with really does tell us that at times "Ignorance is bliss"

Mateo Scuro, like his name, is in the dark. Both symbolically and really. With his thick-lens glasses, Mateo looks out at a world that has become distorted by progress, poor eyesight and the reality of being forgotten. A pensioner who has not seen his children in years, Mateo says goodbye to his wife in Sicily and travels to the mainland of Italy to begin a journey to see his five children. He wants to surprise them and so he does not tell them of his plans. But the real surprises are waiting for Mateo.Traveling from one city to the next, Mateo calls on each child with great anticipation to see the meaningful impact they are having on Italian life. But life quickly hits Mateo squarely between the eyes and forces him to see clearly. Each child is hiding something from their father who does not see well. Their lives are not what they appear to be. They are unhappy working in menial jobs or with their relationships. But their real secret is the crushing blow for a doting father. The youngest son, Alvaro, has committed suicide and none of the others can bring themselves to telling their father the truth.Toward the end of Tornatore's cinematic statement about the isolation of being forgotten, Mateo and his two surviving sons meet for dinner. His daughters, grandchildren and of course, Alvaro, are not present. This staple of Italian life and joy, the family table, now becomes Mateo's nightmare when he learns of Alvaro's death.Tornatore is a master of the dream sequence. In the tradition of Fellini and Wertmueller, Tornatore give us insight into Mateo's deepest fears of losing his family through a dream. We see a large, black balloon, with tether ropes hanging down, descend on a beach where Mateo, his wife and children are playing years before. As this balloon descends, picks up his children and carries them away, Mateo runs to them but cannot reach them. He watches them float away into the sky. This foreshadowing of Mateo's life comes to fruition when at the film's end, Mateo is in a hospital room recovering from an episode of what can only be interpreted as the most profound disappointment of all--the loss of one's family.Upon returning home, the camera is looking into the eyes of Mateo as he recounts to his wife the details of his trip. However as the camera pans back, we see that Mateo is speaking to the headstone of the grave where his wife is buried. As he answers his wife's imagined question of how the children are, Mateo answers, "Stanno tutti bene" (Everyone's fine).Tornatore uses dream sequences and the symbolism of being out of focus as well as in the dark with masterful irony. These images are driven home with all the force of a sledge hammer as the director takes the viewer, through Mateo, on a journey of anticipated-joys, awakenings and ultimate disillusions.Mateo's dreams, failing eyesight and loneliness are his steadfast companions through his remaining years. Tornatore paints a picture for the viewer of life as a deception from the most unlikeliest of sources--those we love the most. For Mateo, being in the dark is the best kind of medicine he could hope for--a world where Stanno Tutti Bene.

Guiseppe Tornatore's first film after the wonderful Cinema Paradiso got little attention when it came out and is not even available on DVD yet. Perhaps the increasing darkness of tone{ replacing the lightness of early scenes}of the film put people off,but now that we can all see Cinema Paradiso in it's director's cut {rather than the hacked up,simplified version that originally came out in 1989},this should not really be a surprise.Again we have a film that celebrates life but asks questions about what is best in life,and whether we all make the right decisions. The movie centres on an absolutely wonderful performance by a 70 -odd Marcello Mastroiani,in a role that allows him the full gamut of emotions,from great joy to terrible sadness.As before mentioned,the film is deceptively lighthearted at first. As Mastroiani travels from Rome to visit his children,Tornatore gives us some amusing and colourful snapshots of Italian life {or rather,life in general}. The observation with a touch of caricature recalls Fellini {another reviewer has pointed out the many similarities to Fellini so I will not repeat them all}. Particularly great is the lunatic who makes a sculpture out of.....aerials,some kind of statement about the evils of technological progress no doubt. Even here,more serious bits creep in,such as a surreal but very symbolic dream scene shown in several bits and an incredibly touching little moment where Mastroiani is in the same hotel room he spent his honeymoon night in and recalls that time.As the film gets more serious and deeper it becomes a very poignant study of a man who feels lost,out of touch with everything,not just his children,who simply want the best for him but are actually somewhat embarrassed by him,but the world itself. These two elements reach their synthesis in a really haunting scene where Mastroiani,alone and homeless,spends the night in a box and visions of his children,as actual children,come to him. All this is seemingly resolved with just a bit of hope and happiness,than Tornatore delivers a killer of a punchline at the end which really makes us re access our views of Mastroiani's character.As with {the full version of} Cinema Paradiso, and later on The Starmaker and {perhaps to a lesser extent}Malena,Everybody's Fine is sentimental but in a tough way. There is a great deal of emotion,both for the character's and for us,but its tempered with both a sense of realism and a wider sense of life and what is best for us in life.With an absolutely superb score by Ennio Morricone,ranging from the jaunty,Baroque-like overture and 'travelling' theme to the tragic waltz for the 'hero',Everybody's Fine is a great film. Of course it's not as good as Cinema Paradiso,but are there many films that are? {I'm biased though,as it's my favourite film!}.

A delightful visual feast and cinematic event that is thoroughly recommended. A stimulating leading role from Marcello Mastroianni and a script peppered with some brilliant gentle comedy. A subtitled film that is a joy to watch.