An Atmospherc and Beautiful Summer Romance

Rating: 10/10 (9 November 2017)

A sensual romance about a boy who finds himself through the discovery of another.
Luca Guadagnino's third chapter in his desire trilogy, following I am Love (2009) and A Bigger Splash (2015) is Call Me By Your Name, a novel arbitrary love tale between two young men in the shimmering summer of 80s Italy. A romantic drama pealing back the layers of its Romeo and "Juliet" in a elementary yet bewildering fashion.
In the 80s suburban Italy, 17 year old Elio ( Timothée Chalamet) and his parents unwind for their summer lounge, when Oliver (Armie Hammer) a 24 year old academic arrives at the families home to work along side Elio's father Lyle (Michael Stuhlbarg). While Elio's first impressions of the strapping American are sower, Elio's enchantment with Oliver blossoms a beautiful friendship between the two and then as the drama proceeds a romantic one.
Guadiagnio's vision of a summer love affair is one to truly be admired by the way Call Me By Your Name eases you into a conceivable relationship. Instead of your traditional love at first sight films. Call Me By Your Name has the confidence to take its time with the characters to produce a remarkable layered character journey. From this we are given the perspective of Elio's world and his flourishing growth as young man, before his world is truly altered by his contact with Oliver. The film is more a coming age of story of Elio as well as a romance.
Obviously the coursing heartbeat of the film is the central characters relationship as it blossoms from the very start to finish, an amazing master work in romantic story telling to say the least. As Elio and Oliver converse over music, philosophy and archaeology, the two's connection is thickened in the company of each other, and of us the audience as well. This is wonderfully transcribed in James Ivory's script beautifully adapted from André Aciman's book. Although Elio is our main window into this romance, both characters are as equal as each other, as the title implies.
Real masters giving life to this tale is the cast themselves. A fabulous ensemble performance by all participants in a warm welcoming environment, usually found unfamiliar in this narrative context. From Michael Stuhlbarg's wise Lyle passionate about his love of archaeology that he shares with Oliver, while also being a passionate father to Elio guiding him in his journey as a youth. Armie Hammer's Oliver is scene stealing charming puzzle which along side Elio we are trying to unravel. Hammer brings forth an exceptional performance which is already ringing potential Oscar bells. Although those bells better be ringing louder for the true standout performance of Timothée Chalamet. Chalamet brings a marvellous collection of young but also mature character in Elio trying to decipher his own identity which becomes all the more clear when he meets Oliver. A major break out performance hopefully to set Chalamet on the path of even greater work.
What moulds Call Me By Your Name is its glistening flavour is its exotic summer presence in honourable landscape beauty of Italy, tenderly caught by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom's cinematography. A strong throwback to the hot summer just gone, as we now enter the cold winter. A lavish film in its own right, seriously a film to really immerse in with its exotic atmosphere while, pouring its heart out in the characters.
Call Me By Your Name is the most remarkable drama of the year, if you believe in any love story this year let it be this one, as your swept in a fantastic voyage of discovering love for the first time. Truly a masterpiece in romantic story-telling.