Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
In postwar Rome, a working-class woman dreams of a better future for herself and her daughter while facing abuse at the hands of her domineering husband. When a mysterious letter arrives, she discovers the courage to change the circumstances of her life.
Paola Cortellesi's debut is a remarkable Italian hit that cleverly uses black-and-white cinematography and anachronistic music to create a distinctive pastiche of postwar neorealism. The plot is deceptively simple but builds to a genuinely surprising and emotionally resonant reveal. Acting across the board is exceptional, particularly Cortellesi herself. The cinematography is visually inventive, blending period authenticity with modern stylistic flourishes. Novelty is very high — the film is utterly singular in its blend of tones and its feminist reframing of the neorealist tradition. The ending, while emotionally satisfying and thematically powerful, is slightly more conventional in its resolution compared to the daring craft that precedes it, holding it to a 3.