Based on a true story: in a desolate, seaside Italian town, Marcello (Marcello Fonte) is a divorced, small-sized dog groomer who deals with cocaine on the side. Simone (Edoardo Pesce) is a refrigerator-sized drug addict who often bullies and manipulates Marcello and others in the local community.
Marcello is good-natured to a fault. While he is very kind to his young daughter, to the animals in his care, and to his friends in his community, his personality is a combination of co-dependence mixed with the disorder of having been bullied for so long.
While the film is often gripping, it has too many scenes of violence, humiliation, and bullying. It's ironic that the initials of the main characters are S and M as this summarizes their roles in a twisted relationship. While it's normal to sympathize with Marcello, it's also easy to get annoyed with him for continually walking back into trouble again and again. At times, it also feels masochistic for the viewer to repeatedly watch sadistic scenarios.
Fonte's performance is praiseworthy and strong especially in the final extended scene. In fact, he is so riveting in that scene that his performance prevents a lower rating for the film overall. Alone and silent in the final scene, he easily conveys an odd mix of heroism mixed with extreme naiveté. It makes me wish the film was less brutal and sadistic overall as it has its admirable qualities.
Marcello is good-natured to a fault. While he is very kind to his young daughter, to the animals in his care, and to his friends in his community, his personality is a combination of co-dependence mixed with the disorder of having been bullied for so long.
While the film is often gripping, it has too many scenes of violence, humiliation, and bullying. It's ironic that the initials of the main characters are S and M as this summarizes their roles in a twisted relationship. While it's normal to sympathize with Marcello, it's also easy to get annoyed with him for continually walking back into trouble again and again. At times, it also feels masochistic for the viewer to repeatedly watch sadistic scenarios.
Fonte's performance is praiseworthy and strong especially in the final extended scene. In fact, he is so riveting in that scene that his performance prevents a lower rating for the film overall. Alone and silent in the final scene, he easily conveys an odd mix of heroism mixed with extreme naiveté. It makes me wish the film was less brutal and sadistic overall as it has its admirable qualities.