Netflix Leaving: I Am Love

"I Am Love" by Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino and starring the fantastic Tilda Swinton, is leaving Netflix Streaming soon. The 2009 film is about a bourgeois Italian family going through changes. The central character especially, Emma Recchi (Tilds), goes through a transformation and liberation from the lifestyle she's grown accustomed to over her years as the matriarch of the family. But really the entire family feels as if their lives are unraveling for various reasons. And when Emma sees the chance (maybe, necessity) to leave the sweet life, the rest of the family act as if they never saw it coming. The house of the Recchi's is stunning and unifies the themes of the film. It is at once refined, of times past, and a prison. 

The film is absolutely gorgeous to all the senses. The cinematography, often feeling very Altman-esque, is fantastic. The camera, ever-moving and zooming, seems to capture beauty in every moment of the slice of life we, the viewers, are witnessing. The director obviously put much thought into each shot. His goals for each shot seem to vary---sometimes it seems to be purely aesthetic goals while other times it feels as if the shots were chosen to induce metaphorical thoughts---but every shot accomplishes its respective goal. The film's look and music give off a very moody and often sensual feel that can only be compared to the exquisitely powerful "In the Mood for Love." In addition, I would guess that Italy hasn't seen a director this fantastic at representing the social level dynamics through an individual's personal experience since Luchino Visconti ("The Leopard") and Vittorio De Sica ("The Bicycle Thieves") before him.

The film reminds us of what film is capable of in terms of visuals, mood, and theme. The director is a master of metaphor. The final sequence is utterly breath-taking. [spoilers] After the accidental death of one of her sons, Emma is pondering what she should do with the remainder of her life. She's currently trapped in a cathedral like the bird that flies over her in the same structure. She realizes at this moment, that if she is ever to leave her family and this bourgeois life-style, this is her only chance. She races home to gathers some of her things. She takes one last look at her family, and then she is gone. [end of spoilers] It's absolutely hair raising stuff. None of this could have been accomplished of course without the wonderfully talented Tilda Swinton. The British actress becomes so immersed into her character's life (a Russian in Italy; when she speaks Italian you can even hear the Russian inflections) that the actor is lost. When the end comes the result is emotionally overwhelming. Music and cinematography alone could not make us feel this way. Very much is owed to Tilds's absolutely perfect performance. I fell in love with Tilds after this movie, and I am sure you will too if you haven't already. Be sure to check out "I Am Love" on Netflix before it's too late!