Wasn't sure at first, then it grew on me

Rating: 10/10 (26 January 2018)

I went to this movie not knowing anything about it, and not planning on seeing it. I was going to see another movie, and the tickets were all sold out, and Call Me By Your Name was playing at the same time, so I went to it instead. After I finished watching it I wasn't sure what I thought to be honest. I do think that this movie could transcend gay or straight, and just relate first love, and what it's like. I found myself remembering my first love, and my "second" first love that came many years later after my first; both of which that didn't work out... It's one of the most painful things to think about in life I think, even now. First love... not like, but love... it makes you do things you never would see yourself doing (mine was flying 3,000 miles to find mine after we broke up to beg that we come back together. He was convinced he would go to Hell and lose his family if we were to marry since we were both guys... so I felt empathetic to some parts of this movie) The final seen of the movie at the fireplace made me remember all the "fireplaces" in my own life when you find out the one you loved more than anything has moved on, and you are figuratively still in the same place during winter, alone, sitting next to the fireplace crying, trying to remember even how to breath without it hurting. It made me uncomfortable to think about it. There have been times where I would rather die than feel those emotions, and this movie, somehow was a form of catharsis for that. Maybe because it showed someone else feeling as neurotic as I have when it came to my first loves. I found myself in a lot of the two main characters; and I disagree with a lot that has been said about the older character being manipulative. I don't think he was. I think he was a prisoner that was trapped between two worlds, and had probably just as much experience in that kind of situation as Elio did: just because your older, doesn't always mean you're wiser. It was a really heartbreaking movie, and the music was another character in the film that was necessary. The more I've thought about this film, the more it rings true, and the more I do like it. I am planning on going to see it again. I don't really cry at movies, and this one actually made me tear up at the end, and on the way home. I think the actors, especially Elio, really made me believe what they were doing, and it was skill beyond his years to perform. Oh yeah, and if he's single and interested, I'm totally interested!!! lol :)