Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
Nanni Moretti recounts in his diary three slice-of-life stories marked by a dry, ironic gaze: in the first, he rides his Vespa through a deserted, sun-drenched summertime Rome; in the second, he visits a reclusive friend on an island, who ropes him into an impromptu journey between islets in search of quiet; and in the last, he finds himself grappling with an unknown illness.
Caro diario is a genuinely singular work — Moretti's essayistic, self-reflexive diary format, blending deadpan comedy with autobiography and genuine pathos, gives it a one-of-a-kind voice that earns high Novelty. The Vespa sequence through deserted summer Rome is cinematically beautiful and distinctive, justifying a strong Cinematography mark. The three-episode structure is loose by design, with the illness segment landing with quiet emotional force, though the overall plotting is deliberately fragmentary rather than dramatically constructed. Acting is naturalistic and controlled — Moretti's persona is persuasive but the register is understated throughout. The ending, emerging from the cancer episode, is affecting but also deliberately undramatic and elliptical, which suits the film's spirit without delivering a conventional emotional payoff.