Viva la Liberta (2013) (Long Live Freedom)
Cast includes: Toni Servillo (The Great Beauty), Valerio Mastandrea (The First Beautiful Thing), Valeria Bruni Tedeschi (Munich)
Writer/Director: Roberto Ando (Secret Journey, Strange Crime)
Genre: Comedy (94 minutes) Italian with subtitles
When Senator Oliveri takes the stage at a party rally, he does little more than posture and spout party talking points. “Oliveri. You never had a fucking thing to say. Shame! Shame!” shouts an agitator who is quickly ejected. “Even Jesus Christ was killed without a trial,” says Oliveri to enthusiastic applause. Oliveri is so popular that he has no challengers. “After him, there will be no trace of us,” laments a follower. The next day Oliveri’s manager Andrea is unable to locate him and has to make excuses for the senator’s lateness. Actually, Oliveri has walked away from his home and gone to an old friend’s home. “I need time alone.” It’s not hard to see that Oliveri and his “old friend” Danielle were once lovers, but she’s married now with a family. Still she opens her home to Oliveri. After a day of not talking he finally confesses that he needs “a few days to breathe. I want to see what the assholes will do without me.”
Andrea finally realizes that Oliveri can’t be counted on to return, so a tight circle of supporters ponders the possibility of a stalling tactic. Not many people know that Oliveri has a twin brother… although it’s questionable whether it’s a good idea to ask brother Giovanni to help with the stalling tactic. Giovanni was recently released from an asylum, and he hasn’t been receiving guests. Giovanni and Oliveri clearly are twins, although Giovanni lacks his brothers meticulous grooming. And there’s something else… Giovanni looks happy! He agrees to help out, but it’s obvious that the handlers won’t be able to control him like they want to. “Senator Oliveri,” says an aggressive reporter… “What do you say to the electorate who say they’re tired of you?” “To tell the truth, I’ve tired of them!” answers Giovanni. Andrea cringes, but surprisingly, the public seems to embrace this newer fresher Oliveri. This scheme is likely to be a roller-coaster… “He might be crazy, but he’s funny, too.”
When Italians do political satire, they hold nothing back. Popular Italian film star Toni Servillo plays both Oliveri and Giovanni with just enough subtle differences that we can easily tell which role he’s playing, even thought the Oliveri conspirators try to make them look alike. The filmmakers create a satire about a political system where everyone fears being real because that could cost votes. Then along comes a certified lunatic, and it’s hard to know what’s going to happen next… and whether it’s going to upset the status quo or not. Although the topic is the Italian political system, there are obviously striking similarities to the US system. While Giovanni enjoys being a senator, Oliveri has an eye-opening experience as an ordinary citizen. It’s a delightful ride with a lot of unexpected twists and turns. When Giovanni answers a question with a haiku, supporters say, “You’re crazy!” Giovanni responds, “So they say.”
3 popped kernels
When Senator Oliveri goes missing, his slightly unhinged twin brother agrees to step in
Popcorn Profile
Audience: Grown-ups
Gender Style: Neutral
Distribution: Art House
Mood: Upbeat
Tempo: Cruises Comfortably
Visual Style: Nicely Varnished Realism
Nutshell: Political satire
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Thought Provoking
