Italian director Luca Guadagnino excels at artfully conveying insight into the inner conflicts of exceptional people while bringing out the very best in the actors he works with.
Overview
Over the past several years, Luca Guadagnino has put out some amazing films. Between his stylistic filmmaking and his brilliant use of nuance and subtext, his body of work is filled with masterpieces. First, we’ll take a look at his last four films, then consider his style and specialties. (Note: I’m only covering his work from Call Me By Your Name–Challengers.)
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Summary:
Oliver (Armie Hammer) is hired as a summer live-in intern for Elio’s (Timothée Chalamet) family. Over the course of Oliver’s stay, Elio finds himself increasingly infatuated by Oliver. Though at first hesitant to get too involved, Oliver returns the affection, and the two develop a relationship.
Review:
Let’s just get the elephant in the room out of the way first–the age difference is a bit uncomfortable. I would have liked this story better if they had been the same age. That said, it’s still a beautiful film about first love and first heartbreak and about exploring one’s sexuality. And while I’m a little surprised his parents are so cool with the relationship between their 17-year-old and a 24-year-old, I appreciate their gentle support and understanding about their son’s sexuality. It’s nice to see a portrayal of such loving parents and how they make a point to show Elio, without coming right out and saying it, that he has nothing to be ashamed of and that whenever he was ready to come out, they would be there for him.
The filmmaking is impressive, with so many things expressed through subtext, body language, and visuals. Many scenes also hold the shot for several minutes, including a scene in which Elio perfectly performs three separate renditions of a song on the piano, all while we have a clear view of his hands to show Chalamet is clearly doing it himself–as a pianist, I always enjoy when actors take the time to learn the song instead of conveniently working around it with strategic filmmaking. I can definitely see why this was Chalamet’s breakout role, because he really shined in this film all around.
Suspiria (2018)
Summary:
Young ballerina Susie (Dakota Johnson) starts to train at a prestigious dance studio in Berlin. The studio, however, is run by a coven of witches who are secretly preparing Susie for a ritual, oblivious to the fact that Susie has a secret of her own.
Review:
This movie is wild. There’s a bit of a surreal vibe all throughout, which turns into a mind-blowing finale (literally). I could tell from Guadagnino’s filmmaking in Call Me that he had the potential for horror, and he certainly didn’t disappoint when he tried his hand at it. The finale, as well as a few other scenes throughout, have this magical way of merging gruesome body horror with beauty by tying the violence to the dancing. It’s a spectacle unlike anything I’ve ever seen and as a huge horror fan, this is one that will always stand out in my mind. It’s way better than the original, which has some interesting ideas and visual concepts, but the effects weren’t good enough quality to pull it off, and the story pales in comparison to what the newer version came up with–heck, the original literally only showed Suzy (Jessica Harper) dancing once in the whole film, and she wasn’t feeling well enough to do much, compared to this one which has multiple scenes of Susie dancing, each one incredible.
I also particularly enjoyed the scene following the finale that concludes the subplot for Dr. Klemperer (Tilda Swinton, who I can’t say I’m entirely surprised to see portray an elderly man), which added to my new appreciation for Johnson after already gaining respect for her from her dance scenes. I’ve never had strong opinions about her one way or another, but she does a wonderful job here. Apparently she spent two years in dance training to prepare her for the role, and it shows.
Bones and All (2022)
Summary:
Maren (Taylor Russell) can no longer deny the truth–she is an Eater, a type of cannibal who can only refrain from eating human flesh for so long before losing control. When her father can no longer handle hiding her secret and abandons her, she sets out on a journey to find the mother she’s never known to see if she can provide answers on Maren’s condition. Along the way, she encounters several other Eaters, including Lee (Chalamet), who joins her in her journey. The two share a connection and understanding neither has found before and their relationship soon blossoms into something more.
Review:
While Call Me is romance and Suspiria is horror, Bones is a little bit of both. This is certainly an interesting and unique tale. The Eaters are somewhat like vampires in some aspects, though not entirely. And although this compulsion is what motivates Maren to go on her journey, it actually falls somewhat into the background as we deal more with her understanding of herself than her moral struggles that many vampire stories tend to focus on. Once again, Guadagnino brings out the best in his lead actors, and by the end, you grow fond of Maren and Lee. However, I just didn’t find this one as engaging or artful as the two before it, and there were some things I wished were explored a bit more. Still, it’s a good journey with a solid ending. (Editor’s note: If you’re curious to hear more about this film, check out Commander Shipp’s full review of Bones and All.)
My favorite thing about this movie, though, is the variety of actors who briefly appear throughout Maren’s trip. Among these are David Gordon Green, who was originally supposed to direct the Suspiria remake; Jessica Harper, who played Johnson’s role in the original Suspiria (1977) and cameoed in the remake; Michael Stuhlburg, who played Chalamet’s father in Call Me; and Sean Bridgers, who played the antagonist in The Woman (2011) where he tries to “civilize” a cannibal. There’s also Chloe Sevigny, who we meet in an asylum in this, which is interesting because she’s one of the inmates in American Horror Story: Asylum (2012), and her character in Russian Doll (2019-2022) probably should have been in one.
Challengers (2024)
Summary:
A tennis tournament brings rivals Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) to compete against each other, bringing to a head a conflict over a decade in the making. The former best friends’ feud began 13 years ago when they met Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), a rising star obsessed with tennis. From then on, the two men have never really stopped fighting for her affection, though neither can surpass her true love–tennis.
Review:
Love triangles can be hit or miss for me, but when they’re done well, I love them. This one is done incredibly well. The dynamic between the three leads is consistently intriguing. Art and Patrick were once close enough to be brothers, and may have been something more if they weren’t in denial about their mutual attraction, but their relationship is ruined over a woman who proves time and again that tennis is more important to her than either of them. Her obsession is only further compounded when she is injured and no longer able to play personally, causing her to rely on coaching Art as her only link to the most important thing in her life. Now she’s in danger of losing even that vicarious connection as Art starts seriously considering retiring after this competition ends. All of this adds to the tension and conflict lingering behind the scenes throughout the tournament match between Art and Patrick.
One of the things that makes the movie so good is the non-linear storytelling. There are three timelines interwoven throughout the film. We open with a seemingly straightforward tennis match at the end of their journey before receiving any context. Snippets of the match are sprinkled into the rest of the story, each time with gradually more context to the underlying dynamic occurring. Second, we are shown highlights from the weeks leading up to the final match as the three leads prepare to come together one final time after years of separation. Finally, what becomes the bulk of the film is a look back at the major moments over the past 13 years that have brought them all to this point. As we dip in and out of the three timelines, the story grows and compounds until we finally understand everything that is at stake in this final showdown. (Editor’s note: Check out Commander Shipp’s full review for Challengers.)
Guadagnino’s stylistic choices are always a highlight in his films, and this one is certainly no exception. One artistic refrain I particularly enjoy here is a shot facing the onlookers during various matches where you see the majority of the audience swiveling their heads back and forth to follow the ball while whichever lead(s) is in the audience at the time is the only one differing, lingering too long on one player to show with their attention lies. It’s such a subtle but meaningful way to draw attention to that particular person and to convey that the center of their focus is not the same as casual spectators around them.
Style and Themes
After watching these four films, there are three standout qualities Guadagnino continually displays: art, nuance, and bringing out the best in his lead actors.
Art
He clearly understands how to manipulate filmmaking techniques to produce artistic shots and scenes. There are many occasions where the stylist choices stand out from other films, adding to the viewing experience as well as the understanding of the subtext in the story. The style itself varies from film to film, but each one has its own signature. Sometimes, particularly in Call Me and Suspiria, it even gives off a “fly on the wall” vibe where you feel as though you are peeking in on the lives of these characters. Suspiria is also probably the height of his artistic leanings, especially during the finale, where the visuals, colors, and music all come together in the most brilliant display.
Nuance
One thing I feel Guadagnino understands better than most of his peers is the importance of nuance. This is prevalent in all films, but Call Me is the one where it is the most obvious. Unlike the book, which is narrated in first person and quite clearly states pretty much everything Elio is thinking, the first half of Call Me is told almost entirely through body language and subtext, while still conveying Elio’s attraction just as clearly. Challengers is probably second in this area, with a variety of visual and dialogue cues telling you things that aren’t explicitly stated.
Actors
Each and every one of Guadagnino’s films left me with one resounding certainty: he brought out the absolute best in his lead actors. Some of these actors I’d never seen before, but suddenly left a strong impression. Others I’d seen here and there but didn’t really care about until now. And even Zendaya, who I’ve always loved, is top tier in Challengers.
Personal Ranking
- Suspiria
- Challengers
- Call Me By Your Name
- Bones and All