by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Expectations can be killer. We all have some level of expectations for all the aspects in our lives. We get excited for a new experience (movie, TV show, game, etc.) and develop some level of expectation for how things will turn out or how much we enjoy them. We have expectations for the people that inhabit our lives as well. We expect (and hope) that those we choose to surround ourselves with are there for us and meet the hopes we have for them. But then there is family. We all have some type of preconceived notion about the closest people in our lives. But sometimes people turn out to be completely different than we expect, and we must process that. This is the dilemma that is posed in the new Italian drama A Chiara.
What are these shattered expectations that the young titular character experiences in this film? Chiara (Swamy Rotolo) has a big and seemingly happy family. But one night she witnesses some mysterious and suspicious behavior from her father. One exploded car later, her father is nowhere to be seen. Was this a freaky accident that took her father from her? Was he harmed for a nefarious reason? Or worse yet, did he abandon them for another malicious life he may lead? This journey is raw and engaging from start to finish, as Chiara ventures out to uncover the truth about her father and who he really is.
How does writer-director Jonas Carpignano get his audience invested in this loaded drama? The filmmaking techniques utilized in the film are truly intimate and raw in execution. You might be surprised to find out that this film is not a documentary (it surprised my wife). The camera is shot with a documentarian style, giving the events a voyeuristic feel to them. We are intruding upon Chiara’s life along with the rest of her family. But this is just as intrusive as Chiara’s own investigation into her father’s true life, which feels parallel in the most perfect way. There is no over-dramatization or glorification of any type of lifestyle. All judgments are left up to the perspectives of the characters, and that is it. This is not here to lay down judgment on the actual work being done by her father.
Narratively, how does Carpignano get the viewers to sink their teeth into this meaty story? The first 30 minutes of this two-hour film are purely dedicated to shaping and presenting the perception of Chiara’s family. We see them celebrate together, full of familial love and enjoyment. We get connected to Chiara and see how she loves her family, including her father. Once the true narrative reveals itself, we go on this encroaching ride with Chiara as she deals with the baggage her father left behind and the perspectives of others in her life along the way. As the film reaches its climax, it is more about presenting the truth and Chiara finding what means the most to her, and not some huge overly dramatic occurrence for the sake of big emotion. The story speaks for itself.
But the story does not have to sell the emotions by itself, does it? The acting goes a long way in doing so too. For Chiara, you need a young woman capable of being a genuine and believable teen who has nothing to worry about in the world except teenage girl things. But we must see a curiousness and craftiness, which shows as Chiara goes out on her own to find her father and uncover his truths. There is a level of emotional complexity that will come with these revelations as she meets her father where he is really at. Luckily the young performer, Rotolo, nails each one of these needs and expectations. Rotolo is asked to carry this drama and she does so admirably.
Is there enough drama to keep the audience going in A Chiara? Between the raw performance from Rotolo and the direction from Carpignano, we are treated to quite the emotional journey. We can all relate to growing up and finding out the truths about our parents. We can only perceive so much as a child. But this film paints a complex and challenging story for Chiara that is certainly worth experiencing.
Grade: 8/10
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