Director: Matteo Garrone
Cast: Aniello Arena, Loredana Simioli, Nando Paone, Raffaelle Ferrante
Running Time: 115 minutes
Synopsis: When Luciano auditions for Big Brother, he’s convinced he’s earned a place in ‘the house’. But the waiting for the call proves testing for both the people around him and his grip on reality.
The trappings of fame and fortune: it’s an old story. And it’s one that’s more prominent than ever – you can barely switch on the TV or open a magazine these days without seeing some psychologically damaged celeb charging ungraciously toward an overdose. It’s a universally acknowledged fact that fame and fortune do not always bring happiness. Yet, millions of us crave it – we’d like to discover it for ourselves rather than scrabble about it the gutters of anonymity. It’s this exact issue that concerns Matteo Garrone’s REALITY; this is also why it feels like a new chapter in the old story – it’s not about damage done by celebrity culture on the ones who’ve already made it famous, but rather on those who yearn for it.
The film is driven by a likable performance from Aniello Arena (making his on-screen debut), who makes Luicano a believable and popular everyman. Indeed, director Garrone tackles the allure of reality television by painting a picture of actual reality – both Luciano’s family and his working class neighbourhood are both endearing and empathetic. When former ‘Big Brother’ winner Enzo drops into town for a photo opportunity, the responses of the locals are both bemusing and worrying familiar.
Though comedic to begin, REALITY does begin to take a much darker path as the story unfolds. The laughs remain consistent throughout, but they transcend from simple exchanges between colourful characters to the actions of a man on the brink of madness. There’s a sense that Luciano is slightly deluded from the start (dressing up as a woman to entertain your mates is quite amusing, but probably not enough to secure a lucrative TV contract as he seems to believe), but as his obsession with earning a spot in the ‘Big Brother’ house takes hold, he becomes a tragic figure – every moment of madness results in a sinking feeling that there’s no way back. The change occurs in subtle moments, but is hugely significant. It’s a testament to the scriptwriting and direction – the climax of the film is as tense as anything seen in cinemas this year, a staggering feat considering the film’s initial lightly comic approach.
Though the appeal of BIG BROTHER wore off in the UK many years ago, the appetite for fame has not. In fact, it’s a universal trait in the western world, which is perhaps why Garrone’s film is so engaging. Everything about it just so real: the characters are driven by common needs and desires, the visuals and script are wonderfully naturalistic, and the ups and downs genuinely emotional. But as brilliant a piece of filmmaking it may be, it’s also a warning: reality is important, let’s hope we all keep a grip on ours.
Check out the rest of our LFF coverage here.
