the nziff program reads well and promises an intelligent and stylish thriller
based on the novel il capital umano and starring 2 of italy's leading ladies
i do enjoy a good thriller and italian films at film festivals - so far so good
the opening scene in monza is the aftermath of a large celebratory dinner
a waiter leaves on his bike and we follow him through streets and hills
on a road out of town he is knocked from his bike by a speeding vehicle
'part 1 - dino' and 6 months earlier is then announced in opening credits
dino is delivering his daughter to the home of her boyfriend massimiliano
a huge country estate with a palatial home and maseratis on display
dino is a real estate agent - boyfriends father giovanni a hedge funder
he worms his way in and commits 500k to one of giovanni's schemes
money then seen he has to borrow on the modest family home - uh-oh
his new partner and psychologist roberta then announces she is pregnant
daughter serena lives with them but pretty well 3 separate lives are being lead
'part 2 - carla' gets underway and cleverly overlaps the same 6 months of time
the opening and closing scene of this chapter already used in part 1 so we know this
i quite like that technique of the same scene from different angles - this film is engaging
carla is giovanni's show-wife - nice but seemingly out of her depth in this false world
she has the literal trappings of wealth but no real friends and a detached husband
a past life as an actress reached for with their money used to buy an old theatre
farcical scenes with rather stereotyped characters gathered as the governors
leading to an ill-fated daliance with the weedy university professor of drama
'part 3 - serena' starts and again the same opening and closing scenes used
seems serena and massimiliano have broken up and luca is the new interest
he a convicted drug dealer and patient of roberta but their romance is secret
phew - 2 famalies, 3 couples, trysts, money games, high emotions and drama
good story and clever directing - the film and characters are all very well layered
despite the inter-woven complications it is well balanced and we are on top of it all
and then the climax is announced 'human capital' - this is going to be a fun ride
it starts from where the other 3 parts finished - the big dinner for the school
both families present and seated at the same table - we know them all well
the highlight of the school dinner being the awarding of best in school prize
massimiliano misses out - dad is peeved and bails - son then hits the plonk
the cyclist is fatally injured and now the whodunnit kicks into action
there's any number of suspects and us and the police are in the dark
in the meantime tensions are high with giovanni about to lose the lot
seems the market stayed high and his big gamble on a collapse is over
that leads to dino also about to lose the family home - complications galore
what a rollercoaster of a film - but in the end it is a happy one
at least for the 2 families we have got to know quite well
the hit-and-runner is revealed but ultimately with a good outcome
italy's economy collapses - giovanni cleans up - the rich get richer
the poor (cyclist) - the opposite - his family awarded a paltry payout
based on his age, income, future earnings and 'emotional attachments'
in italy the insurance companies call this 'human capital' - ah - right
an intelligent and stylish thriller as promised? si - e grande!
