First, I’d like to ask director Luca Guadagnino if he’s available to direct the next chapter of my life. I would do great in the Italian countryside. He keeps the pace of the movie close to that of the book: it unfolds very slowly and luxuriously, exactly as you’d expect a leisurely Italian summer to. It’s almost a shame that this movie is coming out in the fall, because the first thing it makes you want to do is head to the Europe for some warm sun.
There are going to be nominations flying all over the place with this movie, and it’s already won some awards at ceremonies that have already been held. Direction, screenplay, and music (I dare you to listen to this song without getting teary) are all very likely possibilities. Michael Stuhlbarg could get an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor Oscar just for one speech that he delivers at the end of the movie. It’s that good, and he does it that well. The father that he plays is exactly the kind of loving and supportive parent that every child should have to guide them through the hardest parts of their lives. I don’t have children yet, but if I ever do I think this movie will influence the way I parent them. That may sound hyperbolic to someone who hasn’t seen the movie yet, but it’s true.
Timothée Chalamet is so open and beautiful and raw in his performance as Elio. He has to convey a lot of intricate and confusing feelings, and does it in a way that’s subtle without seeming untruthful. He’s going to be a big deal after the Call Me By Your Name dust settles. The movie ends with a several minute long closeup shot of his face going through a gamut of emotions- which would be intimidating for many actors, especially one this early in his career- and he pulls it off perfectly. He just won a Gotham Award on Monday night for his performance, and plenty more are coming.
Chalamet’s performance pairs perfectly with Armie Hammer’s as Oliver. The character is an interesting dichotomy: he’s the outgoing, charming American who ends every conversation with a casual “Later!” He dances with wild abandon, as seen in the now viral clip. Yet as he and Elio begin to realize their feelings for one another, Oliver becomes skittish and shy at first, and it’s the usually more reserved Elio who becomes the more dominant force in the relationship.
The way Oliver and Elio fall in love is captured beautifully. The way they’re awkward around each other at first, obviously into the other, but still trying to protect themselves from potential rejection. The way they hang on each other, almost like trying to become absorbed into the other. It perfectly captures that obsessive nature of first love. That part is universal, but it’s important that this is a gay love story. Armie Hammer told a story about someone coming out to their parents after they saw the movie, and stressed the importance of a story about gay love where nobody gets sick and dies, no villainous homophobe tries to tear them apart, and nobody’s family disowns them.
The response from gay people who have seen the film has been overwhelmingly positive, many claiming that this movie captures something about their experience in a way other media has not. This is a must-see, and when you go please make sure to bring a pack of tissues. I unwisely forgot mine and had to cry into my scarf.
Call Me By Your Name was released in New York and LA this past weekend (where it made a ton), and will be expanding over the coming weeks.
