They are two opposing brothers: Matteo, an extravagant, extroverted gay man, juggles with the ease of those who have succeeded; Ettore, a sad clown, introverted, plays to the limit with silences, belongs to the middle class of teachers. And yet, illness will bring the two brothers together, making use of one’s talent to make the other’s treatment shock bearable. Two brothers who seem entirely opposed will learn to discover and love each other.
When looking at these two portraits of men, so antagonistic, one might fear a caricatured TV film, entrenched in manichean characteristics. In reality, the director adopts an ironic and endearing perspective on her urban characters, particularly Matteo, with his startling extravagance bordering on nonchalance. And yet, Matteo is a lonely, unhappy man with profound humanity.
Undeniably, Riccardo Scamarcio and Valerio Mastandrea form a fraternal duo, convincing and endearing. The actors succeed in transforming the narrative into a subtle family and social drama, where cynicism and laughter are never far away.
When austerity and fantasy meet, life sweeps them into a whirlwind of tenderness and euphoria.
