La Chimera is an Italian film directed by Alice Rohrwacher, starring Josh O’Connor in the leading role as Arthur. The film is rich with celebrations of Italian culture, full of song, dance, love and of course, tomb raiding – though this isn’t necessarily part of Italian culture.
The Plot
We begin the film on a train after Arthur has been released from an Italian prison. Dressed in a cream suit, with short hair and a shaven face, he makes his way back to Tuscany where his friends try to rope him in to another tomb raiding job. After some contestation, he agrees and so begins the montage of relics being found by the crew, which are later sold to art dealer Spartaco (Alba Rohrwacher).
During this time, he meets Italia (Carol Duarte), who is under the instruction of Flora (Isabella Rossellini), the mother of his partner who has died. Romance blossoms but is cut short when Italia discovers how Arthur earns his living, seeing it as something that will dismay the spirits.
As the film progresses, Arthur’s cream suit dirties, the mud from his excavations covering him. His hair grows, as does his beard, mirroring his mental deterioration as he continues with the job, and becomes surrounded by ghosts.
Performances
Despite a slow start, there are multiple moments in the film that made the audience laugh. The dialogue translates well on screen due to the actors’ perfectly timed delivery. Their on-screen chemistry gives us the sense that they have known each other for a long time, building the relationships between them.
As Arthur, Josh O’Connor lets the audience feel his emotions even through the slightest raise of an eyebrow, with such an expressive performance, it is easy to know what he is thinking even without saying anything, which is particularly important during the first portion where he doesn’t speak too much.
The rest of the cast also have very mesmerising performances, with each character displaying their own individual personalities. Carol Duarte is a powerhouse, making a very sympathetic character in Italia. She is both funny and heart-breaking and is a key character in moving the story along and encouraging Arthur to change.
Overall opinion
The cinematography is also captivating. Shots of the vast Italian landscapes allow the audiences to be fully immersed in the story, the beauty almost detracts from the tense moments in the film. Even though the main plot of the film focuses on Arthur and his relationships with people, the landscapes are integral part of celebrating Italian Culture.
The film doesn’t end when it is expected to, there is actually about 20 minutes extra, where you keep thinking that it’s going to end and then doesn’t. While I think this added story may not be entirely necessary, the closing sequence perfectly ties the film together, leaving a hollow feeling in your chest.
In all, the costumes, cinematography and dynamic relationships in La Chimera make it a memorable film, filled with astounding performances. Covering various different genres, it is not one to miss.
Feature image credit: Glasgow Film Festival.
