R: For sexual content, nudity and some language

Sony Pictures Classics, Frensy Film Company, La Cinéfacture, RT Features, Water’s End Productions

2 Hrs and 12 Minutes

Dir: Luca Guadagnino | Writer: James Ivory

Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar. Esther Garrel
Victoire Du Bois

INTRO: N/A

It's the summer of 1983, and precocious 17-year-old Elio Perlman is spending the days with his family at their 17th-century villa in Lombardy, Italy. He soon meets Oliver, a handsome doctoral student who's working as an intern for Elio's father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of their surroundings, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever.

THE GOOD

A TRIUMPH NAMED TIMOTHÉE

We’re coming to that point in the year where actors would reappear in every ‘Oscar bait’ movie, so when the award shows start, they’re going to have a hard time decided which table to sit at for the movie they’re there to support. Sorry, you’re probably going to need to run from the “Lady Bird” table, and the “Call Me By Your Name” table for a couple of months. If it were me, I would advise staying at the "Call Me By Your Name" because this is THE movie that will push Timothée Chalamet into Hollywood stardom. It is my third time seeing this actor this year in a feature film. Besides this and “Lady Bird,” my first exposure to him was this movie called “Hot Summer Nights” which doesn’t debut in theaters until 2018. He was a good lead in that film, but “Call Me By Your Name” is the movie that will skyrocket him to both the awards season and future roles.

What he brings to Elio is something you see in every teenager: curiosity and energy. The way he perceives people is intriguing where he is very skeptical yet timid when interacting with Oliver, but as he begins to open up, Elio feels free. Everyone knows that teenage boys are particularly very horny despite what your sexual orientation is and he perfectly displays that. Some may joke that this about coming out of the closet but it is mostly centered on this boy coming out of your shell. Throughout the story, you see Elio’s internal psychology of Elio is at first annoyed by somehow fascinated by Oliver who is coming to terms with his sexual attraction. Elio has the hyper-energetic movement of a teenager where he initiates and lets his urges take control of him. He moves so frantically similar to one of these things:

When Oliver is brought into Elio’s life, he shows Elio up by doing everything he does but much better. Oliver plays Volleyball well, he dances well, he is the living embodiment of the song, “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better.” His jealousy is there and overtime when Elio looks at Oliver be his carefree self you can practically hear his inner dialogue scream "ooooh I hate you if you weren't so goddamn good looking."

As a New Yorker, it makes me a bit self-conscious about not going to high school at Laguardia because, with every great actor that emerge, I found out they all went to the high school that isn’t that far from where I lived. Timothée Chalamet, Ansel Elgort, etc. The way how these actors are blowing up and causing a storm in these leading roles where they do wonderful jobs is just inspiring to others who are trying to pursue the same dream.

DROPPING THE HAMMER

If you were to tell me back in 2013 after I watched "The Lone Ranger" that Armie Hammer would star in a quiet and reserved romance drama, I would laugh at your face. Today, Hammer has thoroughly proved himself time and time again that he’s not only a great actor with range but with the right director he can continue his streak of success. With director Luca Guadagnino, Hammer shines as bright as an evening star. His character Oliver is the other half to Timothée's Elio and they have brilliant chemistry from beginning to end.

THE 80s

One of the first things you need to know before walking into the movie is that this is definitely a period piece that takes place in 1983. Its great that this story is a period piece because if it took place during this time it would just suck because everyone would be on their phone. Everything that these characters do is fun summer activities that these individuals do are authentic summer activities. The year of 1983 adds a layer of innocence to the movie because the beauty of it is centered on Elio and Oliver roaming and frolicking around Italy. If scenes of frolicking and having fun don't add to a story, then there is no reason for it to exist. Thankfully it matters here for the more the two hang out, the stronger their relationship becomes. The fun that Elio and Oliver have never belabor the story for it builds tension between the two.

Besides this taking place in the 80s, this doesn’t shove down the culture of the time down your throat similar to a lot of other movies that came out this year. It never has a sense of a unique time setting because of the setting. This could’ve taken place in any year during the late 19th century, and it wouldn’t make a difference to the story’s presentation.

SCREW MAINSTREAM CINEMA ROMANCE

You can tell Luca Guadagnino read this book and dedicated a portion of his life to both adapting the novel for the screen and crafting it to perfection like a sculpture. The passion the book had on Guadagnino is what he displays on screen for others to view and its 132-minute mesmerizing work of art. Right when I begin to feel fatigued by “coming of age” movies, this comes out and blows me away by whole heartedly expressing that this genre is here and will never die for there still plenty of stories to tell. This book spoke to him on another level, and he does the same by translating that to the audience. It displays our human desire to attach ourselves romantically to others, but it also shows what we are supposed to want or what we desire. What the animated short film, “In a Heartbeat” is for kids, is what “Call Me By Your Name” is to adults.

I’m a heterosexual male, but I can say that “Call Me By Your Name” is hotter than any other romance drama based on a novel that I’ve ever seen. In other words, this film is much hotter than anything featured in the “Fifty Shades of Grey” films. It's difficult to watch this movie And not compare it to last year’s best picture winner "La La -" I MEAN "MOONLIGHT" which was also a drama coming of age film that focuses on a boy’s journey to self-discovery and coming to terms with his sexuality. Thanks to that film it's incredible to see movies like this come out the closet and into the foreground of Hollywood.

These stories of self-discovery is a joy to see in cinema where mainstream cinema tries to sell shit like "Fifty Shades of Grey" as romance where its desensitizing and brainwashing ourselves to believe that stories like that are a depiction of romance, "Call Me By Your Name" is an actual depiction of what a romance movie. I’m going to take this to another level as well by stating, I love this movie better than Moonlight. Where my only gripe against Moonlight was the annoying amount of innuendos that derailed several scenes just so it can raise eyebrows, "Call Me By Your Name" avoids that trope and have characters expressing themselves through action than words. And you know how that saying goes

THE BAD

GOD I CAN’T FIND ANYTHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS

Right when I was about to say not enough Michael Stuhlbarg as my only complaint, the film made sure to give the actor (who plays Elio’s dad) an incredibly moving scene with a persuasively powerful speech that is beautifully delivered and intelligibly written. It's an expression that would speak to anyone on an existential level about desire and expressing yourself. I love Michael Sthulbarg whenever he is in a movie, and the speech he delivers can shoot him to Best Supporting Actor nomination because it is that impactful. That and James Ivory's adapted screenplay since he singlehandedly wrote this script filled with passion and emotion. If you watch the film on a second viewing, you will pick up all the subtexts his character is all about.

But the only thing bad thing I have to say is not really about the movie but a message for people who go see it specifically ones part of the HFPA. Because of this having scenes of integrated humor especially one that is an uproariously hysterical, DO NOT PUT INTO THE COMEDY OR MUSICAL CATEGORY!

"CALL ME BY YOUR NAME" IS A DRAMA! NOT A COMEDY! It needs to be said because there has been numerous of dumb choices by the HFPA that wrongfully categorizes movies just because of the ratio of members who consider what genre is what.

LAST STATEMENT

If one is captured by Mike Pence and is into conversion theory, the antidotes that will convert them back to the happy rainbow that they once were are putting on "Brokeback Mountain," "Moonlight," and "Call Me By Your Name." Not only are these three great movies that support the LGBT community but are potent works of cinematic storytelling and director Luca Guadagnino has perfectly made a film that is inarguably the best of the three.

FUNNY STORY

So I saw this at the MoMA with my friend Fran, and right next to her an old woman was squinting and cringing at every moment Elio and Oliver kissed or did something sexually. Afterwards, we were laughing at the fact that so many seniors in the theater who consider themselves cinephiles didn't know jack shit about the movie, so they were just in for a surprise. If you aren't with films that deal with homosexuality, then don't watch this film. If you are a homophobe but consider yourself a cinephile, go see this. It will make you see people the same way you see yourself no matter what your orientation is. I'm telling you this is a compelling picture about acceptance, so if you are a homophobe, get off your fucking high horse and see this movie.

YEAH, I'M TALKING TO YOU MIKE PENCE!

Rating: 5/5 | 98%

Super Scene: American Peach/ Elio & the Fireplace

Call Me By Your Name Review