I Am Love (****)

I'm sure many people will consider I Am Love to be mere melodrama - a film more focused on shock and startles than actual story. While I believe it to be a film that does take a few liberties in terms of development, I found it to be an engrossing, albeit slowly-paced work of art with a spellbinding performance from Tilda Swinton.

The movie, a small Italian film, will most likely receive little to no nominations from any major Awards, but this should in no way be a detractor from the film. The story follows a wealthy Italian family with their fortune made in the textile industry. Tilda Swinton, the wife of the heir to the fortune, is in many ways a trophy wife, a Russian-born who is there simply to complete the ideal family. She eventually discovers love and develops a fiery romance with her son's friend and business partner. The ending takes a shockingly-different turn than expected, but this isn't a film necessarily focused on telling a complete story and wrapping it up nicely. We as an audience are simply presented the facts then left to sort out the pieces and interpret as we will.

Stylistically, the film is stunning. Italy is presented so beautifully and lush, while so much of the Recchi's extravagant home is dark, cold, almost sinister. A broad symphonic score provides a rousing accompaniment, while the editing is non-linear and very much internalized to Swinton's character.

And then there is Tilda Swinton herself - has she ever had a 'bad' role? She easily has established herself as one of the greatest living actresses. The British actress meticulously plays an Italian with a Russian accent, and I understand she learned both languages in preparation for the role. There is never a moment when her performance on screen is anything less than brilliant. This film, along with Julia, are easily two of her best works, yet the Oscar-winning actress will most likely not receive her second Oscar nomination for this film, even though this film is easily caliber for a win. As is typical with Oscar-voting, the smaller films often are forgotten, and this will surely be one stunning snub.

Overall a beautifully-shot, marvelously acted, and perfectly paced. Unfortunately I predict it will receive little to no recognition as one of the year's best films. Worth the viewing anyways, if only to see Tilda Swinton. She's a goddess.

(Awards potential: Best Actress (Swinton), Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography)