The ability to transition from getting one moment in the spotlight in Hollywood with a film to a career working with the studios is tough for most indie directors, much less ones from outside the United States. After Cinema Paradiso won Best Foreign Language film, one could have almost expected Giuseppe Tornatore to leave Italy behind and make an English language debut. He never did, though, remaining in Italy and becoming a top flight film-maker there. Now his latest finally hits American shores with the DVD release of Baaria.
The film focuses on life in the Sicilian town of Baarìa from the 1920s to the 1980s. As seen through the eyes of pair in Peppino (Francesco Scianna) and Mannina (Margareth Madè), we see a Sicilian family across three generations. Peppino is the son of Cicco and the eventual father of Pietro. Cicco is a shepherd who likes to read. His son would become a Communist after seeing the injustices from the Mafiosi and landowners, meeting and then marrying Mannina (against her family’s wishes).
The film’s main subplot is about Peppino and his newfound leftist beliefs, as he grows disillusioned over the years as he sees corruption, et al, running roughshod over the ideals he took up as a younger man. It’s the journey of a man from idealist to realist, seen over the years as he raises a film and lives through a very remarkable period of time. But there’s one problem.
It’s really boring.
This is a well crafted and technically proficient film; Tornatore has certainly improved upon the way his films have looked for those who haven’t followed his career closely since Paradiso. In terms of how it looks and sound it’s virtually impossible to look away. It’s tough to be bored watching this film, truly, but the problem is that outside of the visuals the film’s story is an absolute mess.
Already pushing the limit at over two and a half hours, this is a film that really feels like it’s a mini-series crunched into a film format. There are plenty of loose ends and missing subplots that could shed plenty of light into the film that aren’t there. This is a film that feels like it has six hours of material that melds it into something brilliant and instead winds up feeling incomplete at less than half that. If you’re expecting another masterpiece from Tornatore in Baaria because of his past work then you’re reaching for the wrong film.
Tornatore provides a Commentary Track and there’s an interview with him as well. A generic Behind the Scenes piece, some Deleted Scenes and a handful of Photo Galleries are included.
Miramax presents Baaria . Written and Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore. Starring Francesco Scianna, Margareth Madè. Running time: 154 minutes. Not Rated. Released on DVD: October 18, 2011. Available at Amazon.com.
