As an actor, Sergio Castellito brings out the very combination of duality and simplicity; as a director, he moves his audiences by confusion and despair ever present both in human life and on screen. Based on the novel by the director's wife, Margaret Mazzantini, TWICE BORN is, above all, a display of various characters, even on the cost of the historical context of the most recent and so cruel war in Europe, the Balkan conflict of the 1990s.
The New York Times reviewer A.O. Scott criticizes the movie for "missing any sense of history or politics;" David Rooney in Toronto Review observes that "the story reeks of cheap sentiment masquerading as social and political engagement" labeling it as an "overwrought and overlong melodrama;" however, what strikes us most from the very beginning are the characters - "this luckless generation" imprisoned in their 'worlds' of inner conflicts and dualities surely influenced by the very historical and political situation. The latter aspect is, to some extent, significant. Many are the victims of the conflict, the most touching one is young girl of incredible athletic abilities. But this purely political aspect remains in the background. The story is played against the backdrop of historical context and appears to serve as a manifestation of a labyrinth-like drama that life very often is.
The true embodiment of this labyrinth-like drama seems to be, at first sight, the protagonist, Gemma (Penelope Cruz), a woman whose destiny is shaped not only by the nationality that represents 'freedom' to the whole context (mind you the scene when everyone is supposed to say the most important word for them) but also by all the people around her, in particular Diego (Emile Hirsch) and 'her son' Pietro (Pietro Castellito), a neurotic character with notes of coming of age drama. Excellent vitality to the story is contributed by her old friend Gojco (Adnan Haskovic) and a Bosnian woman Aska (Saadet Aksoy). Thanks to them, the movie almost bursts out with emotions. It is sometimes overwhelming and sometimes terribly confusing how we, as viewers, discover the motives that govern the characters. The story, built primarily on flashbacks and sometimes even flashbacks within flashbacks, occurs to manifest the blending past and presence in order to keep a viewer alert and supply the desirable tension.
The performances of the cast of quite multinational backgrounds appear to be very well fit to the tension of the drama. Penelope Cruz, having already played under Castellito's direction in DON'T MOVE, portrays a rather sullen character of a mother amidst the ruins of conflicts and war. She also depicts a character of interesting choices, especially as a wife. Closer to the end we get, more need for display of emotions there is, and Ms Cruz handles that with exceptional vitality and subtlety. One of the most powerful scenes of the movie is her reunion with Aska, actually, a biblical "Hagar-like" substitute mother... Emile Hirsch underlines some interesting aspects of his character as well, being particularly convincing and absorbing at the psychologist scene. There, you get the essence of who the couple are...another fine manifestation of the past hidden within the walls of subconsciousness. Aska, in that case, is a highlight.
Interesting music score, striking cinematography by Gianfilippo Corticelli, production designing by Francesco Frigeri contribute to the pluses of the movie's influence on the senses. Violence, however, seems to create tension of moments in a flawed manner. The scenes of war cruelty or the rape ae depicted in a too graphic way excluding any hints of deduction. From the short scenes of pregnant Aska or the very birth give a slight undertone of viewers' supposing conclusions that Diego is not the father. Nevertheless, not being prepared for any facts, you may be taken with some moments, especially Diego's insane behavior facing the protesters.
After all, TWICE BORN is worth seeing as a highly emotional screen production. What can a man be amidst the roar of hatred? What can human voice for peace be? Merely a glimpse of a moment like a dove that carries a brighter message? We cannot skip that moment; we must give him time and moment to speak up...
The New York Times reviewer A.O. Scott criticizes the movie for "missing any sense of history or politics;" David Rooney in Toronto Review observes that "the story reeks of cheap sentiment masquerading as social and political engagement" labeling it as an "overwrought and overlong melodrama;" however, what strikes us most from the very beginning are the characters - "this luckless generation" imprisoned in their 'worlds' of inner conflicts and dualities surely influenced by the very historical and political situation. The latter aspect is, to some extent, significant. Many are the victims of the conflict, the most touching one is young girl of incredible athletic abilities. But this purely political aspect remains in the background. The story is played against the backdrop of historical context and appears to serve as a manifestation of a labyrinth-like drama that life very often is.
The true embodiment of this labyrinth-like drama seems to be, at first sight, the protagonist, Gemma (Penelope Cruz), a woman whose destiny is shaped not only by the nationality that represents 'freedom' to the whole context (mind you the scene when everyone is supposed to say the most important word for them) but also by all the people around her, in particular Diego (Emile Hirsch) and 'her son' Pietro (Pietro Castellito), a neurotic character with notes of coming of age drama. Excellent vitality to the story is contributed by her old friend Gojco (Adnan Haskovic) and a Bosnian woman Aska (Saadet Aksoy). Thanks to them, the movie almost bursts out with emotions. It is sometimes overwhelming and sometimes terribly confusing how we, as viewers, discover the motives that govern the characters. The story, built primarily on flashbacks and sometimes even flashbacks within flashbacks, occurs to manifest the blending past and presence in order to keep a viewer alert and supply the desirable tension.
The performances of the cast of quite multinational backgrounds appear to be very well fit to the tension of the drama. Penelope Cruz, having already played under Castellito's direction in DON'T MOVE, portrays a rather sullen character of a mother amidst the ruins of conflicts and war. She also depicts a character of interesting choices, especially as a wife. Closer to the end we get, more need for display of emotions there is, and Ms Cruz handles that with exceptional vitality and subtlety. One of the most powerful scenes of the movie is her reunion with Aska, actually, a biblical "Hagar-like" substitute mother... Emile Hirsch underlines some interesting aspects of his character as well, being particularly convincing and absorbing at the psychologist scene. There, you get the essence of who the couple are...another fine manifestation of the past hidden within the walls of subconsciousness. Aska, in that case, is a highlight.
Interesting music score, striking cinematography by Gianfilippo Corticelli, production designing by Francesco Frigeri contribute to the pluses of the movie's influence on the senses. Violence, however, seems to create tension of moments in a flawed manner. The scenes of war cruelty or the rape ae depicted in a too graphic way excluding any hints of deduction. From the short scenes of pregnant Aska or the very birth give a slight undertone of viewers' supposing conclusions that Diego is not the father. Nevertheless, not being prepared for any facts, you may be taken with some moments, especially Diego's insane behavior facing the protesters.
After all, TWICE BORN is worth seeing as a highly emotional screen production. What can a man be amidst the roar of hatred? What can human voice for peace be? Merely a glimpse of a moment like a dove that carries a brighter message? We cannot skip that moment; we must give him time and moment to speak up...