Movie Review: The Best of Youth - Page 2

This is not to say that the first half is by any means boring. Rather, it is clearly building to something bigger than cheap theatrics or the conflict of a single storyline. And by taking the time early on to create a multitude of sympathetic, three-dimensional characters, La Meglio gioventù gives itself a scenario later on where even the smallest moment may be enough to break your heart because it's so easy to imagine that the Carati family is an extension of your family, so when something happens to them, it feels as if it's happening to you. It is not impossible to imagine an audience member who feels closer to this family than his own.

Revealing too much of a film like this tends to take away some of it's impact, so I won't dwell here on specifics, but it's worth noting the performance of Luigi Lo Cascio as Nicola. In a film of extraordinary performances, his is clearly the best. With little more than the addition of some gray hairs and wrinkles, he must play a character spanning forty years, from the wild-eyed idealism of his youth, to the heavy heart of middle age. And he's absolutely fantastic the entire way.

His is not necessarily the most difficult role in the film, but as the lead, he serves as the ballast around which the rest of the characters revolve. Naturally, it isn't the type of film that shows up in the Oscar discussion, but his performance is on par with the year's best. It is also worth noting the role Italy plays in the film as more than just a setting, but as an actual character. Several of the film's key events are triggered by important moments of Italy's history, some of which are arbitrary and some of which are vital.

Article Author: Lucas McNelly

Lucas McNelly runs the film collective d press Productions. Both his films and his writings about film are enjoyed by audiences worldwide.

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