This is a very witty piece looking at Italy’s infatuation with reality TV. Celebrated director Matteo Garrone (Gomorrah, 2008) focuses on average people’s obsession with celebrity culture in a clever satire that was awarded the Grand Prize of the Jury in Cannes for 2012.
Based in Naples Italy, Luciano (Anielle Arena) is a fishmonger. He and his wife Maria (Loredana Simioli) live a comfortable life but they tend to complement it with a little scam here and there with local housewives and kitchen appliances. He is quite immature and she is quite irritating, so this seems to fit!
At the beginning of the film we see carriages bringing a couple to a highly decorated wedding in the Italian countryside. The wedding turns into a party and where we are introduced to Luciano as a Drag Queen.
Despite his colourful drag costume and his never-ending need for attention, the focus is taken off him when a personality from the Italian Big Brother, Enzo (Grande Fratello) appears, telling people to “Never Give Up On Their Dreams”.
Luciano takes this literally, especially when he hears from Maria that Big Brother (Grande Fratello) is doing auditions for the next series in Rome. Convinced that this will eradicate his current financial worries, Luciano tries out. He is so convinced that he will succeed as he waits for a phone call that his obsession with being on the show turns into paranoia. He starts to believe that every stranger he sees is a spy from Big Brother, watching him. He drives his family mad with illusions of impending fame until his reality begins to crumble.
This is a funny yet scarily true satirical look at the seduction of the media and celebrity obsession. The humour is more evident at the start, but then it gets a bit tiring and towards the end, I just wanted to return to my own reality!
Kirstey Whicker
Rating out of 5: 2.5
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