Ersatz romance in isolation

Rating: 4/10 (11 August 2018)

Armie Hammer found himself grossly miscast as the diffident hunk and it doesn't work for me. There's less than zero chemistry between Oliver and Elio, despite a valiant (and Academy Award nominated) acting performance by Timothee Chalamet. The entire affair reeks of forced airs in a way never required in a Merchant/Ivory concoction. When Elio gets his explicitly telegraphed call at the end, it's a 100% groaner. Well, duh. But at least Timothee gets his Oscar try at the picture's end and I can't fault his acting...but Armie Hammer is out of his element...he can't convince me he has a gay bone in his body nor has he convinced me he has any feelings for Elio, sexual or emotional. It's an intellectual effort in non-onanistic pleasures. It's impossible for me to imagine Oliver wanting to do anything in that way with Elio given Armie's performance.