It would be easy enough, and appropriate, to dissect the picture inch by inch and assess all the great value herein. It would also require many more paragraphs and time than I have available to me. The characters themselves, and their relationships, are deeply complex with considerable depths, and plentiful secrets. The dialogue shared between them is biting and acrid, fueled by a maelstrom of emotions and underscoring the harsh drama. The scene writing packs a significant punch at any given time, even as the tone varies slightly in weaving the several threads together. And the narrative is frankly stunning, an assemblage of ideas and themes that are as old as civilization and as bleak as modern life, wrapped around a collection of converging circumstances that's unmistakably haunting. 'Human capital' is sad, and dark, but it's also utterly terrific.
The writing, direction, and sequencing and editing are impeccable and brilliant. I can scarcely imagine a more perfect telling of this story (making me all the more curious to see the 2019 American adaptation of the source novel). The cast is truly extraordinary, embodying their characters with sorrow, desperation, and fierceness that's at once wholly entrancing, and also uniquely off-putting for the grim profundity of the moments that evoke such acting. It hardly seems fair to pinpoint any one over another, but it must be mentioned that Matilde Gioli absolutely stands out with her portrayal of Serena - largely just because of the tremendous range and skills she illustrates, but not least of all because it was apparently Gioli's first-ever role as an actor. Absolutely incredible.
Hair, makeup, and costume design are unimpeachable. The production design is marvelous, a feast for the eyes, as are some of the filming locations. The soundtrack is a selection of one choice cut after another. I can only apologize - I hardly know what else to say. Count this among those films that explore such a depressing perspective on humans, our motivations, and our complications that it's both a super joy as a viewing experience, and difficult to watch as an empathetic being. The tale on hand is wonderfully compelling as several lives collide in sometimes jolting, sometimes moving ways, and in recognizing the expertise with which it's told, I'm a little aghast that it didn't receive still more international renown and acclaim. These may be some of the least descriptive paragraphs I've ever written, but I'm having as much difficulty finding the words to break down the excellence of this picture, sans spoilers, as I am picking my jaw up off the floor. Noting content warnings for alcohol, sex and nudity, and suicide, let alone the broad, dreary vibes the feature carries, I'm hard-pressed not to give this a blanket recommendation. If you have the opportunity to watch Paolo Virzi's 'Human capital,' then you should most certainly take advantage of it post-haste.
The writing, direction, and sequencing and editing are impeccable and brilliant. I can scarcely imagine a more perfect telling of this story (making me all the more curious to see the 2019 American adaptation of the source novel). The cast is truly extraordinary, embodying their characters with sorrow, desperation, and fierceness that's at once wholly entrancing, and also uniquely off-putting for the grim profundity of the moments that evoke such acting. It hardly seems fair to pinpoint any one over another, but it must be mentioned that Matilde Gioli absolutely stands out with her portrayal of Serena - largely just because of the tremendous range and skills she illustrates, but not least of all because it was apparently Gioli's first-ever role as an actor. Absolutely incredible.
Hair, makeup, and costume design are unimpeachable. The production design is marvelous, a feast for the eyes, as are some of the filming locations. The soundtrack is a selection of one choice cut after another. I can only apologize - I hardly know what else to say. Count this among those films that explore such a depressing perspective on humans, our motivations, and our complications that it's both a super joy as a viewing experience, and difficult to watch as an empathetic being. The tale on hand is wonderfully compelling as several lives collide in sometimes jolting, sometimes moving ways, and in recognizing the expertise with which it's told, I'm a little aghast that it didn't receive still more international renown and acclaim. These may be some of the least descriptive paragraphs I've ever written, but I'm having as much difficulty finding the words to break down the excellence of this picture, sans spoilers, as I am picking my jaw up off the floor. Noting content warnings for alcohol, sex and nudity, and suicide, let alone the broad, dreary vibes the feature carries, I'm hard-pressed not to give this a blanket recommendation. If you have the opportunity to watch Paolo Virzi's 'Human capital,' then you should most certainly take advantage of it post-haste.