First Run Features
NEW YORK -- Matteo Garrone's mystery drama "The Embalmer", produced by Italian indie Fandango Prods., scores high for unnerving atmospherics and moody performances. But an eerie setup falters in the second act, where American audiences may find there are too few events to hold their attention. "The Embalmer" swiftly runs out of story and becomes stuck on the sexual squabbles of its characters. Garrone ("Roman Summer") pulls things back into shape with a taut denouement, but viewers may have drifted too far by then to care much about the outcome. First Run Features will release the movie in August.
Garrone's two marginalized characters are reminiscent of Ratso Rizzo and Joe Buck. Seamy dwarf Peppino (Ernesto Mahieux) is a taxidermist who takes young hunk Valerio Valerio Foglia Manzillo) under his wing. Peppino has something going with the mob, whereby he removes smuggled drugs from dead bodies. Valerio draws a good salary for simply keeping Peppino company. Things go fine until Valerio falls for the passionate Deborah (Elisabeth Rocchetti) and invites her to join the gang. As Peppino becomes increasingly jealous, it's revealed that his feelings for Valerio are more sexual than paternal.
The opening scenes show so much promise that the remainder suffers by comparison. Garrone hints that taxidermy will develop into a metaphor, but it ends up as a minor plot mechanism. An interesting look at the protagonists from the point of view of a caribou (reminiscent of the cow's-eye view in Julio Medem's "Vacas") occurs early on, but this surreal approach is quickly ditched for a hard naturalism. It's a shame that Garrone didn't layer these imaginative ideas throughout the movie.
Atmosphere, at least, is consistent. Cinematographer Marco Onorato shoots the whole thing in high contrast -- the blacks are very dark, and the lighting is stark -- which provides a seedy look. Echoey metallic sound effects add an unnerving tone.
NEW YORK -- Matteo Garrone's mystery drama "The Embalmer", produced by Italian indie Fandango Prods., scores high for unnerving atmospherics and moody performances. But an eerie setup falters in the second act, where American audiences may find there are too few events to hold their attention. "The Embalmer" swiftly runs out of story and becomes stuck on the sexual squabbles of its characters. Garrone ("Roman Summer") pulls things back into shape with a taut denouement, but viewers may have drifted too far by then to care much about the outcome. First Run Features will release the movie in August.
Garrone's two marginalized characters are reminiscent of Ratso Rizzo and Joe Buck. Seamy dwarf Peppino (Ernesto Mahieux) is a taxidermist who takes young hunk Valerio Valerio Foglia Manzillo) under his wing. Peppino has something going with the mob, whereby he removes smuggled drugs from dead bodies. Valerio draws a good salary for simply keeping Peppino company. Things go fine until Valerio falls for the passionate Deborah (Elisabeth Rocchetti) and invites her to join the gang. As Peppino becomes increasingly jealous, it's revealed that his feelings for Valerio are more sexual than paternal.
The opening scenes show so much promise that the remainder suffers by comparison. Garrone hints that taxidermy will develop into a metaphor, but it ends up as a minor plot mechanism. An interesting look at the protagonists from the point of view of a caribou (reminiscent of the cow's-eye view in Julio Medem's "Vacas") occurs early on, but this surreal approach is quickly ditched for a hard naturalism. It's a shame that Garrone didn't layer these imaginative ideas throughout the movie.
Atmosphere, at least, is consistent. Cinematographer Marco Onorato shoots the whole thing in high contrast -- the blacks are very dark, and the lighting is stark -- which provides a seedy look. Echoey metallic sound effects add an unnerving tone.
- 3/31/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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