How can a single moment alter a family? That's exactly the question posited by Italian writer and director Nanni Moretti's latest film, released in the United States as "The Son's Room."
This quiet,unadorned film -- although there are some stunning scenes, especially when Moretti's character wanders a carnival midway -- centers around a family in Ancona, Italy, where Giovanni (Moretti) is an analyst who spends his days detached, listening to the problems of others: the woman who needs to micromanage her daily chores, the man who can't stop partaking in porn and illicit sex yet can't find satisfaction with his wife and one who constantly contemplates suicide until he is stricken with a potentially deadly disease.
Giovanni's office is attached to the apartment he shares with his wife Paola (Laura Morante) and their teenagers: son Andrea (Giuseppe SanFelice) and daughter Irene (Jasmine Trinca). Their lives are perfect. The family eats together, spends times together, talks. They listen to music, partake in sports together. It makes Giovanni the perfect analyst, or does it? Does his tranquility render him unable to relate to his patients' problems?
As the film opens, Andrea is accused of stealing a fossil from a school lab with his friend. They deny it and everything seems finished until Andrea admits to his mother that he did steal the fossil, but only as a joke. Giovanni seems to suspect his son is lying, but nothing much comes of this thematic red herring.
The main story comes together one Sunday morning when the family is eating breakfast, planning how they will spend the day together. Giovanni takes a call from a desperate patient and departs to meet him.
During his absence tragedy strikes and the family is shattered. As each member attempts to deal in their own way, Giovanni is having a crisis. He now blames the patient that called him away, clearing the path for the tragedy, at least in his eyes, and he's constantly reliving how the day would have gone had he told the patient he was unavailable.
His work suffers and his marriage is in danger. Until a young girl with a family connection enters the picture late in the story and strengthens their bond.
Always simmering, "The Son's Room" is wonderfully paced and Moretti does a brilliant job of building tension in the moments before the tragedy. The entire cast is pitch-perfect and the story is a touching and heart-rending one. In short, it's one you won't soon forget.
"The Son's Room" opens Fri., May 24 at Landmark's Downer Theatre.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
