We tell you what makes the Italian drama "Lacci" by the director of "My Brilliant Friend" notable.

Italian Daniele Luchetti presents a new work to the public titled "Lacci". The film inevitably invites comparisons with Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story, but offers a different perspective on a crumbling marriage between two people who once loved each other. Let's see what came of it.

What's Worse: Infidelity or Living with Someone You Don't Love?

Perhaps it's obvious that the phrase "lacci" (ties) evokes strong associations with marital infidelity. But what if infidelity is a virtue, and living with a person you no longer have feelings for is the real vice?! That is the implicit question in the story of Aldo (Luigi Lo Cascio) and Vanda (Alba Rohrwacher), whose relationship fractures when the man confesses to sleeping with another woman.

It's no secret that Italians are a temperamental people, and vivid displays of emotion are normal for them. So on screen, there will be broken dishes, screams, and even suicide attempts. Yet, strangely, this doesn't evoke much emotion. The problem is that both nominal protagonists are not the most pleasant people. One is a self-absorbed narcissist who disregards the opinions and feelings of those close to him, the other a neurotic who can make a scene out of nothing. They cling not to love, but to some agreements of days past, and their words are often tinged with falseness. Even their children are not a bond for their marriage. They are more of an external circumstance to be tolerated than a real reason to set aside their egos.

And here arises the main dissonance: at one point, the plot of "Lacci" turns 180 degrees, and the children of Lo Cascio and Rohrwacher's characters become the center of the narrative. It is their story that actually has meaning. Not the toxic relationship of adults who have fallen out of love, but the traumatic experience of their children (perhaps a sublimation of the director's own real experience). They grow up watching the quarrels of their loved ones, try to justify their behavior, choose whose side to take, and ultimately just want to take revenge for their ruined childhood and (possibly) shaken psyche.

This perspective on studying the process of relationship breakdown and marriage dissolution is quite intriguing. The only problem is that it is not too obvious and not sufficiently developed. We don't learn much about the lives of Aldo and Vanda's grown-up children. And even one of the film's main emotional scenes, which Daniele Luchetti dedicated to them, does not remedy the situation.

After All, There's Alba Rohrwacher

If the plot of "Lacci" resembles a not-so-well-written novel and raises many questions, there are no complaints about the technical side and the acting performances. Alba Rohrwacher is wonderful. Period. You can drown in her eyes. You believe her fleeting mood swings. She is convincing even when you rationally understand that her character is talking utter nonsense and doing God knows what.

Rohrwacher's partner Luigi Lo Cascio is a match for her; he manages to create the image of an almost emotionless egoist. Together they perform a series of interesting scenes that could have been even more vivid if written a bit more talentedly.

The Italian city of Naples becomes a full-fledged character in "Lacci," seen at different times: from carefree 80s to harsh and cheerless reality. The location sometimes seems to reflect the mood of the film and its characters, shifting from cheerful to tragic.

Should You Watch "Lacci"?

Despite the criticisms voiced above, Luchetti's film turned out decent. Yes, it is far from the brilliant and meticulously crafted "Marriage Story," but such a film still has something to offer viewers. "Lacci" is a solid representative of festival cinema with good acting, pleasant visuals, and interesting authorial thoughts that may prompt reflection on one's own life and attitude toward love and loved ones.

Trailer:

We express our gratitude to the company PROVZGLYAD for providing the materials and distributing the film in Russia. Watch in theaters starting April 22.