Italian Studies

The idea of being deprived of your identity and self-worth in the blink of an eye, traversing through the big city of Manhattan is bound to create some adventures. Italian Studies explores the somewhat outlandish idea in this independent and considerably short film directed by Adam Leon who has directed two more before (Tramps, Gimme the Loot) which have received some acclaimed reviews and ratings. Having only gone in with this knowledge, my expectations were quite the mid-level, and seeing as the runtime is only 78 minutes, I could only assume it would be a charming short story of a woman lost in her own mind. Though seemingly posh, it seemed to be a unique film waiting for those looking for a contemporary story littered with potentially grand performances. 

In this film, we focus on Alina Reynolds, played by the immensely lovely Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman, The World to Come). Alina Reynolds becomes completely lost in almost an instant, as if her mind has fallen into oblivion, failing to recall even her name or the location of her possessions. The occurrence causes her to wander alone throughout Manhattan with barely a goal in mind, but she comes across a charming yet strange individual, Simon (Simon Brickner). With Simon, Alina will venture across the city with him in hopes to grasp her identity once again. Italian Studies is perhaps one of the more charming, yet elegant films released lately as it attempts to convince audiences it carries substance but in actuality, the film thrives on its performances and visual aesthetic. As said before, Kirby plays the protagonist, but it becomes an unfortunate discovery seeing how her character is, to some degree, a mostly linear character throughout the majority of the film. Alina remains completely and utterly confused which may have been purposeful but at the same time, there is stagnant growth within her character. It’s the performance given by Simon Brickner that will come as a delightful surprise for those seeing an outlet of hope whilst in the middle of a substance void film. Brickner brings a part of this film to life with his incredibly natural performance, delivering lines with ease. Watching Brickner is almost hypnotizing as he feels like someone, we have all experienced, an oddball individual with an amiable presence and genuine heart. He is without a doubt the best part of the film, and almost convinces you that maybe this film is not as mediocre as previously thought. 

Unfortunately, the numerous ill-advised mishaps with the film outweigh the quality decisions as the film trudges along. The scene placements add a level of confusion to the already confusing narrative; it gets to the point where I feel I need a chart to pinpoint each scene to gain a level of clarity. And to consider the idea that maybe the confusing writing and editing is deliberate might make sense since Alina is confused and Adam Leon also demands for audiences to be equally as bewildered, but there is almost no conclusion to the slightly mentally exhausting hour spent trying to decipher the timeline of the scenes. It is quite a shame; Italian Studies shows it has the potential to deliver a beautiful story with its ideas and style. The film is undoubtedly attractive with its alluring cinematography captured by the talented Brett Jutkiewicz, capturing the urban environment of Manhattan while also conveying the perplexing areas Alina is placed in. And mixing skillfully with the cinematography comes the perfect score/soundtrack for each scene as it captures while also perpetuates the soft disarray of our characters’ surroundings. 

It’s quite saddening to endure the film seeing that the technical aspects carry the narrative mess. Italian Studies seems to have qualities of a lovely independent film but slowly falls short before reaching the finish line. But to give the film the benefit of the doubt, I feel it may have been its short runtime restraining it from being exceptional. The film bites off a bit too much and delivers a half-baked cake with a beautiful design. 

Overall, the film achieves greatness with its technical aspects such as the cinematography and the score but at the end of the day, Italian Studies demonstrates that you must have more than just stylistic ingredients to form a well-constructed film. Leon directs a slow-moving film that confuses audiences and lacks purpose, confining the film to only visual appeasement. Although the film is far from being inadequate, it would be far-fetched to say it is worth the time and effort. Italian Studies can be defined as pretentious and woefully mediocre, and I would say that it may be a film for those wanting a low-profile film to keep on in the background whilst in the midst of a rainy day.