lar_lef
Perfect strangers is a successful film, of necessity contrived because it is built on a successful gimmick- don't want to reveal it here. Takes place largely in dining room (was it a play before a movie?). Good movie symbolized by eclipse of moon occasionally watched by the diners, and ending hinted at by it. Not everything credible, but we are not watching War and Peace, or maybe so, in a sense. Plenty of pasta in evidence, so you and your partner may want to go out for a pizza afterwards, if still speaking to one another - hopefully life won't imitate art.Basta (enough).
Harry T. Yung
This winner of twelve minor film awards, coming from Italy, could be considered sort of "The big chill" (1983) playing an updated truth-or-dare. Seven good friends gather at the host couple's place for a dinner with, for want of a better occasion, a lunar eclipse as the main attraction. It is supposed to be four couples but one guy's newly acquired significant half (whom the others are dying to meet for the first time) got sick.As they settle into an evening of familiar chats, someone suggests a game: everybody out with their cell phone and share everything received – calls, texts, WhatsApps, emails etc etc. I am not going to spoil the fun by elaborating what happens in the remainder of the evening. In fact, they are all but predictable. All I would say is you will not find that one of them is an alien. Oh, there is just one little twist that surprised me, concerning a pair of ear-rings.It was an enjoyable 96 minutes, almost like watching a live stage play, real time. The entire cast did well, the seven plus the hosts' seventeen-year-old daughter who went out for her own fun after saying hi to the guests. Well worth seeing.
Reno Rangan
Usually the films based on the dinner party associate with either family or the friends reunion and sometimes business related affair. But there's always a reason for such gathering like it might be a wedding, funeral, anniversary, a school reunion, getting a job or promotion, victory celebration et cetera. In this film, it was some long time friends meet which seems its their regular thing to do often. This tale covers one such fine evening to reveal what they actually do. A limited cast and one night event based film that cleverly and cautiously covers sensitive topics of the married life and trust of the friendship.It has been almost a year since my last Italian film and now I'm happy for choosing this. I was not certain that I would like it till I saw it. So I would say same to you that see it first and then judge the product. This is really a good comedy-drama with a dark tone. We all adapted the modern way of life and gadgets makes so easy to accomplish things around us. In that, cell phones might come the first. Carrying it all the time became only next to wearing clothes, surely an artificial/digital sense of man. It also has some flaws, like it may land you in troubles as it's a part of AI, not human. I think it is easy to forecast a man's future by checking out his phone rather than his horoscope.Seven friends, including three married couples and one single man gather for a dinner party. They have been doing it for a very long time and that's where they all can share each others current life affair. Having some laughs and serious discussions, it defines the strength of their relationship. Every occasions won't be the same, there's always a first time for everything. That's how the event comes crashing out.While the party was going smooth, unexpectedly a game emerges that they all must place their phones on the table to prove they have no secrets from each other. Incoming and outgoing calls, texts, emails, everything must be heard by everyone at the table. What do you think would happen? Before saying anything, just place yourself in that position and do you think you can get away with a clean slate? Obviously tough to answer that, only practical observation would bring the result."He's seeing a therapist, not a whore! Come on!"Every time when there's an alert for an incoming call or message, the atmosphere gets more tense and as a viewer I went blinkless. It is not about what people hid from others, it is the reaction in the room when their secret was exposed. This is when adults become teenagers who try to explain the stuff when their parents find out their secrets. And so the friends become complete strangers. Because friends must back each other in the bad times, but in this scenario, it was totally out of the proportion regarding their action. Okay, if we push away the friendship, then how's the married one should take it. Feels very simple, since everyone involved in something, it has turned out to be a complicated affair.Like I said I've seen plenty of similar themed films, but this one was something unique in a simple way. There's a vast difference between what do you witness in the opening compared to how it concludes. A bad mouth can spoil a beautiful occasion, but now it is avoided since people learnt to shut their mouth. Just remember the film 'August: Osage County' and this film was no way close to it as a story, but developed to the next gen, the digital troubles the mankind had set to face. This film revealed how much a cell phone would cause trouble, then think what would happen with the robots of the tomorrow. Surely in 20-30 years from now, a similar film will be made with the bots.At some point, I thought it might be the Italian version of the 'Coherence' for inclusion of lunar eclipse in the plot. I'm not going to say anything about that, you'll get it in your watch. There's no end twist, but it was an unexpected final scene. By then you will understand the meaning of the title. Awesome screenplay and well performed actors, this is one of the best films of the year so far. This is not a sci-fi or a thriller or a visual spectacular, but a smart little drama and I'm sensing that somebody might consider it for a remake. I know everyone won't like as much I did, but I won't end my review without recommending it. If you like talk movies, sure you does enjoy it.8.5/10
