A Truly Beautiful Piece of Cinema

Rating: 10/10 (7 November 2017)

This movie is truly beautiful. It is a work of artistic beauty in so many ways and I will enjoy watching it again many times in the future.
The movie is slow in pace but this reflects the nature of time in the summer: slow, easy and free- flowing. There is nowhere to be at a specific time, no agenda to meet, just slow summer days and the beauty that comes with being this at ease. I think that is one of the beautiful elements within the film: it reflects this Italian/European lifestyle which perhaps we should all think more seriously about, as what is life when you are constantly rushing to meet this deadline or catch this certain train when you compare it to the life of living out in the rustic countryside, eating fresh fruit and swimming in the local river? I know the film is set in the 80's, but that is not to say people today still do not live like this at least part of the year.
Anyway, from someone who has never seen a LGBT based movie before, I felt a bit unprepared and as if I had nothing to compare it to. Although by the end of the film I really didn't feel I needed to as the love story transcends any artificial labels to simply express a pure and innocent tale of first love that is rarely as genuinely portrayed within cinema. I think both Chamalet and Hammer did wonderful jobs in their performances, balancing the innocence and curiosity of Elio with the experience and desire of Oliver. Chamalet in particular, I believe, as a younger actor, brought a great deal of raw emotion into his performance which really enhances the whole film overall.
The beautiful landscapes combined with the focus on the Italian lifestyle brings another wonderful element to the film and really helps to complete the story. The symbolism within the film, with the ripe peaches, also builds on the artistic direction of the film that is sure to make it a possible contender for the awards season next year. I certainly hope that the film wins at least for Best Foreign Film, yet I would hope that it would garner wider recognition and very much hope that Chamalet is considered for Best Actor. The speech by Elio's father at the end of the film, played by the talented Mr Micheal Stuhlbarg, is very moving and really has a wonderful message in the end I think that challenges us all to think about how we live our lives and how we judge others.