Genius framework. Seven friends gather at the dinner table, and sharing messages, pictures, and calls from cellphones instigate each drama. What an idea! No wonder 'Perfetti sconosciuti' is remade in more than 20 countries. However, the actors and the director fail to extract the best out of this clever idea.
Good: Very limited setting and time. All the events take place in Rocco's house, and all the events in the movie happens the same length as the running time. It is such a new and different cinematic experience. Running time can include many years, centuries, and lifetimes. In this one, however, audience enters Rocco's house as the movie starts and leaves as the movie ends. Very verisimilar and tangible. One more thing. Many films try to draw audience in to the experiences characters go through, making the film more captivating and enthralling. However, 'Perfetti sconosciuti' persistently keeps audience the distance, making him or her as more of an observer. It really felt as I was eavesdropping their secrets.
Bad: Something's just off. Something's missing. Something's just too much. When connecting each dramatic event, the process is not smooth, like going over speed bump. These bumps in the connection destroy the tension building up so far. All the happenings during the dinner ... the director could've cut off some of them. Some dramas are put there just to create drama, losing position and connection in the movie. Actors' performance is too much, artificial. They do not seem like longtime friends, no chemistry at all. Their reaction to unfolding turmoil is awkward. I said, 'Gosh, they are acting.' Good actors never let audience think that they are acting. They become characters.
Good: Very limited setting and time. All the events take place in Rocco's house, and all the events in the movie happens the same length as the running time. It is such a new and different cinematic experience. Running time can include many years, centuries, and lifetimes. In this one, however, audience enters Rocco's house as the movie starts and leaves as the movie ends. Very verisimilar and tangible. One more thing. Many films try to draw audience in to the experiences characters go through, making the film more captivating and enthralling. However, 'Perfetti sconosciuti' persistently keeps audience the distance, making him or her as more of an observer. It really felt as I was eavesdropping their secrets.
Bad: Something's just off. Something's missing. Something's just too much. When connecting each dramatic event, the process is not smooth, like going over speed bump. These bumps in the connection destroy the tension building up so far. All the happenings during the dinner ... the director could've cut off some of them. Some dramas are put there just to create drama, losing position and connection in the movie. Actors' performance is too much, artificial. They do not seem like longtime friends, no chemistry at all. Their reaction to unfolding turmoil is awkward. I said, 'Gosh, they are acting.' Good actors never let audience think that they are acting. They become characters.