Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Call Me by Your Name (2017)

2017 R 130 Minutes

Romance | Drama

Elio Perlman is spending the summer with his family at their vacation home in Lombardy, Italy. When his father hires a handsome doctoral student, the curious 17-year-old finds himself developing a...

Overall Rating

9 / 10
Verdict: Great

User Review

  • WHAT I LIKED: The breathtaking appeal of 'Call Me by Your Name,' is perhaps best described by highlighting how very similar it is to 'Moonlight,' and that's not just because their subject matters are so similar, but also because the delicacy of their filmmaking subtly and brilliantly builds a big picture with small moments and sensations. In this film's sake, the character journeys all take place over the course of one summer which allows for even more intense focus (if not quite the same breadth) and a whole family story where the small moments feed brilliantly into the experience. Indeed the wonderful score, cinematography and the performances (Chamalet and Hammer were equally incredible) capture mood and feeling perfectly and tell the story in a wonderful way, and the direction that guides it all is beautifully considered and unusually old-school. It's all of this combined that consequently portrays an amazingly poetic and tragic juxtaposition of our protagonist's difficult situation with the beauty of his surroundings (as well as his idyllic family life) which then slowly unravels and reveals the sadness that lies underneath it all. In the end it comes to a head with a very somber message indeed and makes for one of the most quietly impactive and emotional films of the year.
    WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: There is the occasional moment where the sunny-side stuff feels ever so slightly pretentious.
    VERDICT: A properly touching and genuinely tragic character story, 'Call Me by Your Name,' is so impactive because - like 'Moonlight,' - it deals everything by gently focusing on small moments. Just wow.