‘Nostalgia’ Review: Mario Martone’s Love Letter to a Bygone Naples
Watching this film was the most fun that I had at a premiere at Cannes. Not for its content — ‘Nostalgia’ is a classic melodrama — but rather because the premiere was filled with Italians. Italians are nothing if not passionate. As the cast and crew entered the Grand Théâtre Lumière, there was a roar of whoops and cheers, calls of admiration from the balcony and full-sounding claps as though thunder was booming above us. A smile stayed plastered on my face until the title-card for the film came up on the screen. It was an electric cinematic experience.
Based on the 2018 novel of the same name, ‘Nostalgia’ is about a middle-aged man, Felice Lasco (Pierfrancesco Favino), who, after living between the Middle East and Africa for 40 years, returns to his hometown of Naples to care for his aging mother. Later, instead of returning to his life in Cairo, Felice decides stay. Falling back in love with the city, he hopes to reunite with his childhood best friend, Oreste Spasiano (Tomasso Ragno), who has since turned to a life of crime under the name “Badman.” Yeah, I know, a little on the nose.
Despite the story’s choice of nicknames, this film takes itself seriously. It effortlessly shifts back and forth between Felice’s childhood in 1980s Naples to present day. While I really hate flashbacks in film, I was kinda into this. Director Mario Martone changes aspect ratio (and potentially shot on film) to make the scenes from the past look as though vintage Polaroids have come to life.
One of the most interesting themes of the film wasn’t nostalgia, but religion. After living abroad, we see that Felice is now a practicing Muslim. When he returns to Naples, he befriends a neighborhood community leader and priest, Padre Luigi Rega (Francesco Di Leva). Through their friendship, we see the commonality and camaraderie between religions. Felice turns to both Christianity and Islam for moral guidance and continues to practice Islam while building relationships in the Christian community. This is not without its tests. In one of the film’s more emotional scenes, Felice comes to Padre Rega with a burden to confess. Padre Rega, who observed that Felice was not a practicing Christian, tells Felice to say what is on his mind and he’ll “treat it like we are in Confession.” Felice admits to events that transpired with his childhood friend, Spasiano, and how he still hopes to meet with him to rekindle their relationship. In response, Padre Rega turns hostile and banishes Felice from the church. Despite offering Felice the same treatment that he would give a Christian, Padre Rega rescinds his support after disapproving of Felice’s admission.
A smaller and perhaps forgettable moment is when Padre Rega is introducing Felice to people in the community over dinner. Felice is in the throes of retelling a story when Padre Rega slyly pours Felice’s glass with wine — in accordance with his religion, Felice does not drink alcohol — and he absentmindedly drinks it. On the surface, Padre Rega seems to be open to a differing religion; however, he still takes the opportunity to make Felice break the rules of his faith.
Speaking of Felice, this was Pierfrancesco Favino’s film. As the lead character who was in practically every scene, he carried the duality of the many themes in the film: Past and present. Christianity and Islam. Friends and foes. He also holds up the majority of the relationship between Felice and Spasiano. This is particularly evident in the many moments where Ragno’s performance of Spasiano falls flat.
Without spoiling the story, the end of the film was a goddamn spastic shock to the system. The final scene was met with an audible gasp, then deafening silence, then a tremendous round of applause. It captured the sheer bluntness of life and the finality of failed relationships. While I question whether I’ll remember every detail of this film five years down the line, I have no doubt the ending will stick with me.
Accompanied by a stellar score, ‘Nostalgia’ carries the intense wanting that we all have for the good things in our lives to stay good and a naivety in seeing the good in friends despite their conflicting actions.
(Originally published on June 2, 2022.)
