This dreamy, languorous film has a Viscontian sense of aristocratic values to it. Exquisitely shot, beautifully paced and conceived, I Am Love moves through the cultivated world of a wealthy and distinguished industrial family. It is a film of ritual and order, centred on a massive Milanese mansion whose airy rooms convey the power and stature of the Recchi family. Servants glide up elegant staircases to serve dishes of gracefully prepared food to a family that has gathered to celebrate the birthday of its patriarch, the man who built this small empire.
The birthday sets the stage for all that is to follow. Handsome grandson Edoardo introduces his new girlfriend to the family; his sister, Elisabetta, presents a painting she has made to her grandfather; a young man who beat the unbeatable Edoardo in a race earlier in the day makes a surprise appearance on the doorstep; and finally, the grandfather announces his succession plan to his family. All of these events mark the beginning of a narrative that sees the carefully controlled, hyper-refined sphere of the Recchis come under increasing strain. Slowly but inexorably, a series of apparently small, almost innocuous, transgressions begins to unsettle the veneer of manners and etiquette. Edoardo's parents' relationship undergoes its first strains, the stranger that topped him in the race turns out to be a central character in the drama, and his sister's life follows its own striking and separate path. Finally, the family business that is the source of all their wealth and comfort falls under siege.
Director Luca Guadagnino has made a superb film that touches on many different complexities. While KingLear comes to mind, I Am Love also bears a resemblance to Visconti's The Leopard in more ways than one. Both films depict a world on the cusp of change, the magnificent old order struggling to hold its place against the rowdy new challengers. Sexual and class politics also play a key role, as wonderfully controlled moments of passion and emotion suddenly trouble the surface placidity. Featuring a cast headed by Tilda Swinton speaking Italian and Russian, this is a film in which tradition and modernity collide. A stunning work.
Piers Handling
Luca Guadagnino was born in Palermo, Italy, and is a screenwriter and director. His films include
The Protagonists (99),
Tilda Swinton: The Love Factory (02),
Mundo Civilizado (02),
Cuoco Contadino (04) and
Melissa P. (05). His latest feature film is
I Am Love (09).