Movie Review: Malena (2000)

Malena is a good example of a coming-of-age movie that I don’t think anybody would be willing to make today. It’s all about a 12-year-old boy, Renato (Giuseppe Sulfaro), being obsessed with an older, married woman, Malena (Monica Bellucci), and believe it or not, it’s not all that one-sided, at least in his quite explicit imagination.

Bellucci is of course perfectly cast, as she might be the most beautiful woman to ever live.

And while there is plenty of nudity, it doesn’t quite feel like exploitation. The plot itself is basically wish fulfillment for pubescent boys, but it’s fairly artfully done. Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso) directs the movie with skill and style, and the background of the start of World War II is pretty interesting. Hell, maybe it’s not just wish fulfillment for pubescent boys, but for men. The writer-director gave the main character the same name as him.

The location photography of Sicily is pretty spectacular, too. It’s a good looking movie, and not just because of Bellucci.

The score by Ennio Morricone, who was nominated for an Oscar, is delightful. It’s very different from every other Morricone score I’ve listened to.

The movie has a fairly typical coming-of-age plot. Like of course Giuseppe’s home life is unfulfilling, but I’m sort of on the side of his parents here, to be perfectly honest. Sure, we’re supposed to think he’s just an innocent boy discovering his sexuality, but when they call him a pervert for stealing Malena’s panties and wearing them on his head as he sleeps, I can’t disagree.

I really, really don’t like the main character here. And I feel like we never really get the chance to know Malena outside of his point of view.

Because of that, I’m not quite sure what I was supposed to get out of this movie. Is it just wish fulfillment? Because that’s incredibly shallow. As a coming-of-age story, it’s not all that interesting, as the main character isn’t very likable.

It’s not necessarily a bad movie, but I definitely feel like I didn’t get that much out of it.

Rating: 4/10