Writers: James Ivory, André Aciman
DOP: Sayombhu Mukdeeprom
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Arnie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg
Language: English, Italian
In Northern Italy in 1983, seventeen year-old Elio begins a relationship with visiting Oliver, his father's research assistant, with whom he bonds over his emerging sexuality, their Jewish heritage and the beguiling Italian landscape.
Film reminded me of Eric Rohmer films that are set in countryside with characters lazing about during summer. It is billed as the third one in Luca Guadagnino's thematic 'Desire' Trilogy with 'I'm Love' and 'A Bigger Splash' being the other two. I've only seen the latter and stylistically both films couldn't be more apart. A Bigger Splash was shot in a very pulpy manner with some curious but great camera moves and zooms. Pace wise, it was leisurely at the beginning and quite frenzied towards the end. Call me by your name has a lazy vibe throughout keeping in with its summer settings and is purely European in its approach. It leaves you with the feeling that you get after reading a great novel. That is quite an achievement since it is an adaptation of André Aciman's novel with the same name.
Film can be described as a coming of age story and is basically 'Moonlight', but in a very supportive environment. Central performance from Timothée Chalamet is out of this world as things are conveyed more through looks and mannerisms rather than dialogue. At no point you are confused about what is going on. Only minor gripe I've with the film is the flawless English that he is speaking but he is anyway portrayed as quite an expert in almost everything he is doing. Luca Guadagnino's next project is supposed to be a remake of Dario Argento's 'Suspiria' which reunites him with the cast from 'A Bigger Splash'.
Rating: 4.25/5
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