Dabbling in the mystic, tragic, and comedic Alice Rohrwacher’s La Chimera is a singular film, that will leave you wanting to rewatch it again as the credits roll.
The film begins in a hazy train journey through Italy, where we meet Archaeologist turned thief Arthur (Josh O’Connor). His volatile and removed nature is established instantly, and his innate screen persona makes him an engaging presence throughout the runtime, conveying a world of emotion and a sense of history with limited dialogue and subtle facial expressions.
After being released from prison, Arthur reluctantly reunites with his tombaroli – grave robbers – crew. Between his crimes and archaeological pursuits, Arthur establishes a relationship with his old lover’s mother, Flora (Isabella Rossellini). Through this relationship, he establishes a romantic connection with her handmaiden and musical student, Italia (Carol Durate)
From there, the film follows these two strands back and forth.
The cinematography and textures across the film is vivid. It’s easy to get lost in scenes as the landscapes are captured beautifully. The scenery shines through as Arthur tests his unique skills to help uncover Etruscan artefacts.
Simple things like Arthur’s dirty linen suit or his ramshackle home are recurring visual elements that give the film a lived-in feeling. There is no artificial sheen or cleanliness to the film.
This dirtiness effectively recasts O’Connor, an actor predominantly known for refined period projects like Emma or The Crown, as a somewhat sleazy, unshaven, filthy character. It’s a remarkable performance for how subtle it is, and it becomes even more impressive when you realise he learned Italian for this role.
Throughout the film Arthur is consistently referred to as the Englishman, but for the most part, he speaks Italian and feels natural doing so. I can’t speak to whether it sounds phonetic or fluent, but it never feels unnatural watching O’Connor perform alongside his Italian peers
Paired alongside his work in Challengers, it feels like O’Connor has immediately levelled up from actor to watch to movie star with the ability to oscillate between contrasting tones and characters effortlessly and consistently engage an audience.
Read DirectHer’s Challengers Review
The film also revels in simple moments playing out uninterrupted, like watching Arthur struggle to light a cigarette or warm himself up when suffering from the flu.
One of the most effective elements is the use of diegetic music, particularly with two ballads performed in the film by Arthur’s friends that help provide background for his character.
The film may sound heavy, dealing with death and the moral quandary of how these characters earn their living, but the film manages to balance this out with a very funny, charming cast of characters.
Arthur himself is largely humourless. Though O’Connor and Rohrwacher play into their character’s humourless nature with brilliant comedic timing on multiple occasions. In particular, the grave robber crew are consistently hilarious and this in turn really helps flesh out the groups dynamic and friendship.
For a two-hour-plus film, it’s incredibly breezy. This is in part thanks to the film having a somewhat shaggy approach, just following the characters operating for much of the runtime and only introducing an immediate conflict towards the end.
For the majority of the film, you are living with these characters and watching them navigate through their lives, and the cast brings such charisma and life that it makes it entertaining throughout, and you can imagine yourself watching them well beyond the film’s end.
The ending itself is remarkable, and without delving into the specifics, it is the right mix of catharsis and abruptness that makes you want to revisit the whole thing just to watch it with the conclusion in mind.
La Chimera is a film of great multitudes. The viewing experience is a mystifying one that creates a world of emotional variance and will likely stay with those on its wavelength for years to come.
