This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

I finished this film and felt as if a weight had been lifted off my chest. Took Deep Breath.A film not to forget, with both Castellitto and Cruz giving painfully real performances creating in the case of Castellitto moral dilemma.However one thing caught me by surprise, not having known that this starred Penelope Cruz, when she appeared I did not recognise her at all. Indeed, it was only when the final titles rolled that what was suspected became apparent - it was indeed her. The transformation from Hollywood Goddess to girl from the slum was total but not just her makeup, her acting, her gestures, her commonness - for lack of a better word.10/10

I didn't even recognize Penélope Cruz the first time I saw her. It was an amazing transformation. She is a poor housekeeper, but looked like a cheap whore.Co-writer, director, and leading man Sergio Castellitto, repays her kindness after his car breaks down by raping her. He won his third David (Italian Oscar) for his magnificent performance in this film. Cruz also picked up a David for her performance.Of course, Castellitto returns to the scene of the crime, apologies, and rapes her again. This time he treats her like a cheap whore by leaving money.Now, I love Cruz, but Castellitto has a wife at home, the ever lovely Claudia Gerini. She is definitely hot! Eventually, Cruz and Castellitto establish a relationship. He even takes her to a medical conference.Then things really get complicate with both women, and the film really starts to explode with emotion.

This movie was one of the most beautiful and moving films I have ever seen! There is a fascinating and intricate balance between the characters and the effects of their actions. It is a study of the deepest of human emotions and the necessity for passion and unrestricted love.Timoteo is a wealthy surgeon who seems to have the perfect life - a beautiful wife, a luxurious beach house, the perfect job and a ready-made social circle. But these superficial trappings are not what he wants out of life. Notably, Timoteo's relationship with his wife is clearly lacking passion and true love. Feeling detached from life, Timoteo is reawakened when he encounters a destitute woman named Italia and rapes her.Italia is a woman of lower class who is most likely uneducated. A key aspect of her character is her appearance - a slight gape in her teeth, thrift store clothes, and an overall impoverished countenance complement her quirky personality. To the audience, however, there is something downtrodden and lonely about her. Initially afraid when Timoteo rapes her, she becomes attracted to the passion between them and their encounters become frequent.Passion grows into love, and both Timoteo and Italia are happiest and most "alive" when they are together. Italia saves Timoteo from becoming an emotionless shell and Timoteo returns the favor by pulling Italia away from her cliff of loneliness.The film isn't about sadomasochism or a "study in the devious sexual behaviours of some individuals who received devastating emotional shocks by their fathers in their early teens", nor is it "a study in sadomasochism". The sexual behaviors exhibited by the lead characters are simply a result of their mutual unrealized longings for passion and love. Though the initial encounter between the two was entirely physical and . . . criminal . . . the desires that grow between them develop into one of the most beautiful and heart wrenching love stories captured on film. Throughout their year-long affair, the intensity of their love is evident in the way they hold each other and look into each other's eyes. Timoteo also refuses to take Italia into the abortion clinic when she becomes pregnant with his child, a sign that he dreads the thought of potentially putting her in danger or destroying the life they had created together.Despite the argument that briefly tears them apart, Timoteo and Italia are reunited only hours before the tragic ending. Timoteo does everything in his power to save Italia though her fate is inevitable and she dies as she sleeps next to her lover.Red proves to be a powerful symbol of passion throughout the movie, which is beautifully filmed, most notably in the red shoes Timoteo buys for Italia.Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this film is that it is so realistic. Each character faces daily struggles that could have just as easily happened to anyone in the audience. The film appeals to the basic desires that each of us seek to fulfill - true love, passion and happiness - in the rawest and grittiest fashion. The film is as far as one can get from a fairytale love story, and the ending is far from happy. Timoteo learns to be content with his wife and loves his daughter with all his heart. Italia is buried in a simple coffin without a marker and Timoteo is forced to face reality and let Italia become nothing more than a memory and a lesson about the beauty and complexity of life.The acting in this movie was excellent; Cruz delivered an awe-inspiring performance as a character whom is far from Cruz's usual portrayals and Castellitto's acting and directing delivers a perfect balance of sadness and passion.Perfect 10!

Created by an obviously talented group of film makers and actors, it is a chic flic from the male perspective. I had to remind myself that this film is not subject to American cultural norms. I started out disgusted with the main character Timoteo (Castellitto) and un-accepting of the reality of the relationships between the characters, mistress Italia (Cruz) and wife Elsa (Gerini). The amazing lack of dialog from the wife, who obviously knows about the mistress and says everything with her mannerisms and eyes rather than the traditional lame dialog filled with anger and tearful ultimatums. A similar performance from the mistress that leaves unspoken the hopefulness that cannot detour the obvious path the relationship is taking. The emotionless beginning builds constantly through the film until the crescendo ending. Very well done.