Film: I Am Love
Release date: 13th September 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 120 mins
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Flavio Parenti, Edoardo Gabbriellini, Alba Rohrwacher, Pippo Delbono
Genre: Drama
Studio: Metrodome
Format: DVD
Country: Italy
Tilda Swinton’s career, much like her personal life, is nothing if not interesting. From Hollywood blockbusters to independent and art house cinema, her performances have seen her take on a variety of issues and roles. In Luca Guadagnino’s I Am Love, she tackles Italian high society in early 21st century Milan, in a story of adultery, wealth and loyalty which delves below the surface of the decadent lifestyle it portrays.
Emma (Swinton) is a Russian born wife of an upper class businessman living in Milan. At a birthday party thrown for her father-in-law, Edoardo (Gabriele Ferzetti), the old man announces that he is to retire from the family textile company and names his son, Tancredi (Pipo Delbono), and grandson, Edoardo Jr. (Flavio Parenti), as his successors.
As the party draws to a close, Edoardo Jr. receives a visit from his chef friend Antonio (Edoardo Gabbriellini), and Emma seems drawn towards him. Later, she travels to his home to see the site where he and Edoardo intend to start a restaurant together. Here, they begin an affair which reignites Emma’s zest for life, but will have terrible consequences for her family…
As the camera cuts through various shots of a snow-covered Milan, and John Adam’s orchestral soundtrack soars above the skyline, it is clear, right from the opening, that I Am Love is going to be a visual and aural experience. Every shot exudes class and conviction, as the cinematography, lighting and camera work all combine to joyous effect. This is, for the most part, not merely superficial; rather it is a means of visually representing one of the themes of Guadagnino’s story; the lavish, extravagant nature of the world in which his characters live. This is made clear by the way we are first introduced to Antonio, through a window which blocks him from our full view, suggesting that he is an outsider who does not belong in this world, and will thus disrupt it. However, the roaming and predominantly unobtrusive camera does not invite us to judge characters in a particular way; instead it simply lets the story unfold in all its visual splendour, allowing us to formulate our own opinions as we watch.
Sensuality seems to be central to experiencing the film, and it is something that Guadagnino does very well. The contrast between the scenes in winter and in summer exemplify this, as we can almost feel the winter’s chill or the warm, radiant summer sun through the excellent use of light and colour. The use of food is also a way of heightening the sensual nature of many of the scenes and, as well as playing an important role in the plot, food often symbolises the experience of pleasure, particularly for Emma. Food plays an important role in her relationship with Antonio, not only because he is a chef, but because it signifies the change that she has brought about in him, allowing her to rediscover what her passions in life are, and to treasure them.
The plot flows extremely well, and is also well layered, with subplots offering interesting points of comparison to the story of Emma and Antonio’s affair. For example, when Emma discovers that her daughter is involved in a relationship with another woman, it causes her to think about boundaries and conventions, and how defying them in pursuit of love has made her daughter so happy. The story involving the potential sale of the family company suggests that what we are witnessing is not only the end of a marriage, but the end of an entire family - the death of a way of life.
This being said, considering the film deals with such heavy emotional material, it is difficult not to wish that Guadagnino would delve a little bit deeper into his characters. We get a sense through the performances of the actors of the passion that exists between Emma and Antonio, but the reasons for them falling so deeply in love are never looked at in much detail. Characterisation is something that is unfortunately lacking, as we are introduced to several characters, such as Tancredi and Edoardo Jr., who seem very interesting, but we do not learn as much about them as we would like to. The film’s conclusion suffers from being somewhat melodramatic, but this is only in relation to how emotionally restrained the rest of it has been, and had we had a deeper sense of the characters involved in the build-up, the ending may well have worked far better. This is a small complaint, however, as I Am Love is a rich and layered piece of cinema, delivered with flair and style.
Full of elegance and class, and backed up by some powerhouse performances, I Am Love may be, at times, a victory of style over substance; but what an enjoyable victory it is. PK
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