Whether it derives from a fleeting holiday romance, or a more substantial, elongated affair, there’s a sickness to love; persistently distracted, eating is unappealing, concentrating on anything other than the object of your desire near-impossible. It’s especially rife when in your formative years, where you don’t scrutinise over every little moment like you would when you’re older, but at the same time it seems to mean more than that it ever will. This perpetual state of unfulfillment, with butterflies in your stomach, has been depicted in quite remarkable fashion in Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name, which captures that indescribable sensation in a strikingly accurate, visceral way.
Set, as the titles announce, “somewhere in the North of Italy” this sets the precedence for a woozy, summer affair on the sun-baked Riviera, where Professor Perlman (Michael Stuhlbarg) resides, with his wife Annella (Amira Casar), and their 17-year-old son Elio (Timothée Chalamet). They often take in guests to assist with the professor’s work, which is where the American Oliver (Armie Hammer) comes into the picture, beguiling many of the woman from the town, but more importantly, capturing the heart of Elio, who becomes obsessed with their visitor, and much to his delight, it’s a feeling reciprocated, as the pair indulge in a secret relationship that’s intense, intimate and irrepressible.
With the romance between them kept discreet and away from Elio’s parents, it enriches the narrative with a sense of forbidden love, and similarly to Carol, for instance, it allows for the film to thrive in the sub-text, as we linger on every single touch, with every passing glance feeling significant, as we construe and interpret all of these seemingly inconsequential moments. It’s not just between the protagonists either, as it’s even the looks we see Annelle give when she watches her son’s infatuation grow, or when we gather that Elio’s sort-of-girlfriend Marzia (Esther Garrel) may have got wind that it’s not she he lusts after. Through this notably subtle approach, we want, so fervently, for Elio and Oliver to be together, and while somewhat apprehensive initially, given the age-gap between them, as we progress towards the latter stages we become so involved and invested in their fledging romance, we too feel our heart skipping a beat, just as theirs is.
The film triumphs thanks to Chalamet’s performance, as it’s hard to recall seeing a young actor turn in as accomplished a performance as he manages here. Not just internally either, which is incredibly nuanced, but physically, the way he nervously touches his neck when he’s faced with a situation that is new and emotionally overwhelming to him, or how he shows off and is so bouncy when in love, or the sheer confusion of having to comprehend these newfound feelings. Hammer is also excellent, in a career best performance for the actor, who continues to choose such eclectic, interesting projects, evidently somebody who will go where the good stories are, collaborating with innovative, resourceful filmmakers, and is now reaping the rewards.
The mood to this film is indelible (enriched by the early 80s setting – epitomised in the excellent soundtrack), and in that regard there can be parallels drawn to Guadagnino’s preceding endeavour A Bigger Splash. But where that last film was style over substance, this one is rich in both, as not only do we have a beautiful landscape to immerse ourselves in, but an even more wondrous narrative playing out in front of it. What a treat.
