• Cannes’ best actor winner Marcello Fonte plays the aptly named Marcello- a dog groomer, seemingly a great father, a gentle soul. He is diminutive in stature—and he’s the victim of violent tormenter Simoncino (played by Edoardo Pesce). You are sympathetic to Marcello early for saving a poor dog left in the freezer by Simon.
  • Jacques Audiard’s 2009 film The Prophet has much in common- an excellent film- gritty
  • This is return to the world of dark underworld with leaning towards realism world of Gomorrah for Garrone after the pseudo-fantasy, visually stunning world he built in 2015’s Tale of Tales
  • A shadow-laden, ominous seedy place, standing water (Gomorrah)—a great cinematic painting at 66 minutes – the night shot outside of Simon’s place Marcello attacks his bike
  • A nuanced performance- a very long take by Garrone holding on Fonte’s face at the end
  • Recommend but not quite in the top 10 of 2018