Call Me By My Name

— I should have read reviews before going to this very interesting film so I wouldn't have expected it to be some kind of hidden, gay, first-love story. It's really more of a coming of age film, about learning the lessons of love, and being open to all experiences. It takes place in the early 1980s when Oliver, a handsome American in his mid-20s, arrives to assist an academic spending the summer in Italy with his wife and Ello, their 17-year-old son. The previously lazy, quiet existence changes as Oliver moves into Ello’s old room and his American-bred confidence, good looks, and easy swagger bring a new element to the mix. Ello’s precocious about a lot of things, but somewhat stunted emotionally, seeming to fall into a relationship with a local girl and, at the same time, working out feelings for Oliver. It's a gorgeous film—lots of Italian countryside and towns—with great acting. Sometimes it seems a little sluggish, but pretty quickly you realize you’re just in a luxurious, sensuous segment. There is also a slight fuzziness to it in places, but it ends up lending a feeling of remembrance instead of real time. It’s directed by Luca Guadagnino whose two earlier films I also loved (“A Bigger Splash” which made my list of top films in 2016, and “I am Love”). For such a subtle film, I didn't fully appreciate Ello’s father getting a little too didactic at the end, but I’ll let it go given how low key the rest of the film is. It really is one of the better films of the year.

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[2017. 132 min. Directed by Luca Guadagnino. Starring Armie Hammer, Tirmothee Chalamet, Chicahel Stuhlbarg, and Amira Casar.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/call-me-by-your-name-2017