‘My Brother is an Only Child’, typical Italian nostalgia

watching a movie like ‘My Brother is an Only Child’ (Mio Fratello è Figlio Unico, 2007), a critical and public success in its country of origin, and little repercussion in ours (and I don’t mention the rest, despite being exhibited in Cannes), one is done once plus the question of why authentic rubbish, and it doesn’t matter their nationality, are box-office bombings in movie theaters on half the planet, and films like this one seem destined to rot on the shelves of video stores and are admired only by followers of the current Italian cinema.

‘My Brother is an Only Child’ It’s not a great movie, nor will it go down in history, but certainly It is well above dozens and dozens of titles that this year have remained on the Spanish billboards, enjoying a greater and unfair prestige. I suppose that the limited distribution of the film will have contributed to that, in which the brilliant minds of those responsible will have reached the conclusion that it was not necessary to invest too much money in it. After all, who cares about the story of two brothers confronted by political ideas, but who are drawn by blood? Noooo, it’s better to buy the one about the space robots on dvd, don’t fj…

‘My Brother is an Only Child’, typical Italian nostalgia

The story of ‘My Brother is an Only Child’ (by the way, excellent title) covers several years in the life of an Italian family during the 50s and a good part of the 60s. It focuses mainly on the two brothers, separated by their political ideas. On the one hand, Accio, of dubious instability, who began trying to be a priest, but later joined a neo-fascist party; and on the other, Manrico, his older brother, with slightly clearer ideas, more liberal, and with a rebellious point just like his brother. That, broadly speaking. Unfortunately, the film wants to cover many more things, many more plot lines, some of which are never fully defined correctly, or closed properly, leaving some issues in the air.

And it is precisely that argumentative wanderingthat swing, the one that prevents the movie from being a wonder, when it had all the elements to be. Fortunately, we are not facing a bad movie either, but rather a more than correct feature film with certain failed points. Of course, that typical nostalgic air that the Italians know how to show so well, bathes the entire film. Good feelings, the search for identity in the midst of personal disasters of all kinds, whether family or love affairs, and a certain nostalgic look towards the early years, in which we are all somewhat more pure and innocent, are the letter of introduction of this film that only lacks the music of Ennio Morricone to round off the operation.

Daniele Luchetti He directs more or less effectively, although he makes the mistake of getting too close to the characters, visually speaking. Some close-ups of their faces enclose the action of the film too much, and the same when it comes to general shots, in which instead of opening the shot more, he has to resort to camera movements so that we can see everything that happens, when it was not necessary to do it that way. This technique causes a certain amount of drowning in the viewer, perhaps so that they feel overwhelmed by the events of the film, but it doesn’t quite work, because instead of doing it at certain and designated moments, it does so throughout the entire film, and the truth is it ends up tiring a bit.

Of course the film has a more than decent acting jobThis being one of its strongest points. Riccardo Scamarcio drives them all crazy, this Italian sex symbol plays Manrico, the older brother of the central character, Accio, played by an exceptional Elio Germano, who eats Scamarcio with French fries. The actor is impressive in his role, transmitting his feelings at all times, his instability, his secrets, his longing for certain things. Probably the relationship between the two brothers is the best of the film. The ellipsis in which a child Accio becomes older, while his brother continues to put his head in water to wash it from the nonsense that is stuck in it, is impeccable. The two are perfectly attuned, and it is impossible to think that at certain times the two brothers could get along, although Accio’s attitude responds more to an act of rebellion to annoy his family than to anything else. It may be that in the final part of the film, this relationship walks through too common places, and the differences/similarities between the two brothers end up in such an obvious way that it grates a bit, but this is due to the aforementioned about the different plot paths that the film wants to take.

a correct movie, as I said before, entertaining and bearable despite everything. We already know that much better works come out of Italian cinema, but we also know the few films that come to us today. It’s been almost a week since its premiere, so the chances of seeing it, if you’re interested, are dwindling. In the movies, of course.