When I read the synopsis of this film, I was intrigued, but sadly it didn't meet my expectations in any way. The first half failed to capture my attention with its slow narrative, unrealistic characters and their actions. Eventhough the main theme of the misunderstanding between "mentally ill" people (bipolar + Alzheimers) and normal people is a good plot, I thought that it could have been explored much better, because we actually don't get any clear explanation of their relationships, which makes watching this film a bit confusing. The whole flow of "Affection" seems out of place with its sudden cuts and on the other hand long shots. But in my opinion the biggest issue is that the first half is just not captivating enough for viewers to keep watching the second half.
2 Reviews
An unconvincing - and yet watchable - endeavour
Ladiloque26 November 2020
I expected much more from Iannaccone after that little gem that was his first movie.
"La vacanza" has many side-stories: unfortunately it stays superficial (or - to be kinder - just scraps the surface) on most of the stories-topics it touches. Most characters feel cardboard cut stereotypes: the touches of surrealism/cuteness I loved in "La buona uscita", here become weird rabling and feel like ex-post tricks to give more life to artificial characters. While the main plot concludes organically and somewhat poetically showing us the inability of "average" people to coexist with "cognitively non-average" people, most of the stuff started didn't feel like getting any kind of proper treatment/explaination/conclusion.
Visually essential, on average good cast. With a more refined screenplay, 20 minutes less and a couple of side stories cut it could have been a great film: as it is there's too much complex material hastily put together.
"La vacanza" has many side-stories: unfortunately it stays superficial (or - to be kinder - just scraps the surface) on most of the stories-topics it touches. Most characters feel cardboard cut stereotypes: the touches of surrealism/cuteness I loved in "La buona uscita", here become weird rabling and feel like ex-post tricks to give more life to artificial characters. While the main plot concludes organically and somewhat poetically showing us the inability of "average" people to coexist with "cognitively non-average" people, most of the stuff started didn't feel like getting any kind of proper treatment/explaination/conclusion.
Visually essential, on average good cast. With a more refined screenplay, 20 minutes less and a couple of side stories cut it could have been a great film: as it is there's too much complex material hastily put together.
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