"Call Me by Your Name" takes you to the beautiful Italian countryside ... and then to the store for 50 boxes of Kleenex, in this dramatic coming-of-age love story.
Will I ever recover from the plethora of emotions I experienced from this cinematic masterpiece? Nope. Probably not. But I’ll never look at a peach the same way again. Call Me by Your Name sets the stage in the summer of 1983, chronicling the passionate affair between Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet) and his father’s assistant, Oliver (Armie Hammer). Based on the 2007 novel of the same name by André Aciman, the movie has been receiving critical acclaim and is guaranteed to be a contender for Best Picture at the upcoming Academy Awards.
Arguably, the third main character in this piece is the Italian countryside itself. Beautiful shots of landscapes and cities aid the strong visual impact of the story, which is already powerful with '80s fashion, color, and attractive men.
One critique of the film would be how slow it is. Many could argue that it strengthens the impact of the storyline and the "will they, won’t they" aspect of Elio and Oliver’s budding relationship, but it is hard to get invested when you are willing for something to happen as soon as you sit down in front of the screen. But when it does get there (around 45ish minutes in), it proves to actually be worth the wait.
"Call me by your name and I'll call you by mine"
The chemistry between the two male leads is dynamic and breathtaking. While it may not seem like it on first glance, the story is extremely relatable. It is one of first love that's told through excitement and melancholy. The audience is easily sucked into the tragic love story. They are also hopeful that the two will have a fairytale ending.
Make sure to stay after the ending credits. The scene with Chalamet alone is aided by the powerful song “Visions of Gideon” by Sufjan Stevens, and is something that will be ingrained in the viewers’ brains for a long time to come.
Speaking of the soundtrack, along with sweet Italian melodies, Sufjan Stevens provided two original songs. Both tracks capture the feelings of the film perfectly.
Run to the theater to see this spellbinding masterpiece.
