Movie Review: Dark Obsession is Found IN A LONELY PLACE

January 22, 2017

Written by Capt McNeely

Georgia Division ZADF Twitter: @ZADF_ORG

 

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For some people making a real connection with others can be, at best, an arduous task. Even once said connection is made there are no guarantees on how deeply one person will feel it in relation to another. Such would be the case where Thomas and Teresa are concerned.

Thomas is awkward, in appearance and demeanor and Teresa is beautiful, but at odds with her sense of personal identity. The pair have been longtime friends and able to confide in each other, but unbeknownst to Teresa, she has long been the object of Thomas’s unrequited affection.

Part of Teresa’s inner struggle is her inability to form a romantic bond with anyone unless they can help her to make a truly profound discovery about who she is on an existential level. Obsessed as he is with Teresa, Thomas will take it upon himself to be the man who helps her plumb the depths of her soul – no matter how emotionally or physically painful it may be for her.

Davide Montecchi directed this film, which he also co-wrote with Elisa Giardini. Together they created a dark and poetic story about love and obsession, and quite frankly my brief synopsis does it no real justice. One must watch this film to truly experience and understand its artistry.  The audience must be vigilant and ready for a film that does not follow a traditional narrative structure.  The film also moves at a slow and deliberate pace, which helps to build intrigue and anticipation, especially as to what Thomas’ intentions with Teresa are. And that is one of the most disturbing aspects of the film, the fact that the writers have set us on this journey with no real expectations of what may happen to Teresa other than the worst possible things we can dredge up in our minds.

Luigi Busignani is an inspired bit of casting in the role of Thomas. His is a rather haunting visage, having a creepy on screen presence similar to actors like Reggie Nalder and Conrad Veidt or more recently perhaps Crispin Glover. The emphasis of his accent and his accentuation of every syllable in every line is bizarre and unsettling. He does a fantastic job of displaying Thomas’ true lunacy without it turning him into a caricature.

As Teresa, Lucrezia Frenquellucci gives a great portrayal of a young woman who, despite her beauty, is uncomfortable in her own skin and insecure in respect to her identity. However there is resoluteness to her, since she so fervently seeks to understand the effect it all has on her psyche. She also really owns her fear and distress as Thomas’ plans for her unfold. It wasn’t until the credits rolled though, that I found out that Teresa’s voice had actually been dubbed over by Barbara Sirotti.

Every visual aspect of the film was beautifully executed in this film. From the setting, lighting and cinematography, to the editing. The film was set in a hotel, and while it has the appearance of being abandoned for some time, it is not decrepit or run down. The exterior shots suggest it’s located in a remote area creating a sense of desolation .It would be interesting to know whether it was shot on location in functional or previously functional actual hotel or on multiple sets used to mimic the hotel interior. Regardless, it made an interesting and bizarrely beautiful and picturesque backdrop for this film.

What can I say about Fabrizio Pasqualetto’s work as the cinematographer on this film? It’s indescribably beautiful. Furthermore, it’s hard to believe that this is his first feature film, because this guy has chops. I don’t remember the last time I saw an indie film look quite this good. The framing in one particular shot stuck with me as it seemed to resonate as one of the themes of the film. The shot is centered on Thomas with mirrors on the wall behind him, flanking him on each side. One mirror shows only Teresa ,and this mirror is cracked and broken. But the other mirror that reflects them both is whole and isn’t broken or cracked at all. It’s almost as if this is a visual message suggesting that Teresa is broken and incomplete without Thomas.

This is an unorthodox horror film, that is not scary in the traditional sense as much as it’s disturbing and gets under your skin. I cannot say nearly enough good things about the incredible film this cast and crew have delivered, and am eager to see what future projects this director may have in store. This is a Lonely Place I highly recommend that you visit, my Little Monsters, so that you may revel in its artistic brilliance. To give his film any less than 9 / 10 would be a grave disservice.

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