I watched this Italian mystery on Prime and got a bit confused from about the tenth minute in. It was recommended by an algorithm when I asked for genre movies from the continent. So it came along with a bunch of Euro-cinema devoted to horror, sci-fi, the paranormal etc. And yet at first it seems to be nothing of the sort. Here's the synopsis from IMDb.
A man is found dead in an office. Sonya, a charming 55-year-old woman, has abandoned her family for a love affair with a younger man. The two stories end up intertwining but nothing is as it seems.
First things first, this is a short, beautiful film. We see Italy at its loveliest, the weather perfect, the people stylish and attractive. Even though a brutal murder is at the centre of the mystery, the pace is languid, punctuated by some sex and intrigue. But what's it actually about?
One reviewer described it simply as a confusing mess, which is fair enough. To me it was an intriguing mess, as if an episode of Inspector Montalbano had been helmed by the guys who brought us Last Year in Marienbad. A lot of people talk, dress well, and inhabit wonderful buildings. The leading lady models a bikini and high heels for a photoshoot. There is some malarkey about a company fraud. A former call girl infiltrates the family. Various people have sex. Sonya encounters her old professor, and he gives her advice that does not enlighten the viewer. The cops close in. Slowly.
The central character, played by Maria Grazia Cucinotta, is stunning. But why has she left her loving husband and adult children? And how does this somehow connect to the murder of a sleazy businessman? Eventually, all is revealed. There is - more or less - a satisfactory ending that does indeed put it in the genre slot. Some may find the denouement disappointing. But there's a lot to be said for a movie that looks this good in every scene. And I did find myself caring about Sonya and her husband (Enrico Lo Verso).
Oh, and there is an actual cat, but it only gets a brief cameo and is totally fine.
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