Cert 15
89 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong violence, bloody images
When I reviewed Suburra I stated that nobody makes mafia films like the Italians.
If evidence were needed to back me up, it is presented here in an unusual but poignant comedy drama from Pierfrancesco Diliberto (or Pif).
This is the mafia through the very personal eyes of a Sicilian who grew up at a time of extreme mob violence in his home city of Palermo.
Pif takes the central character, Arturo, from the naivety of a primary school class to the cynicism of frontline politics.
Arturo (Alex Bisconti) is an awkward and serious young boy who has a huge crush on classmate Flora (Ginevra Antona) but struggles to convey his feelings.
In the meantime, the tale of unrequited love takes place with the backdrop of mafia killings in their city and the young boy's strange devotion to the flawed Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti.
The murders are so close to home that it is often the case that Arturo has met the victims in very ordinary circumstances (e.g. a local cake shop).
But they do not dissuade him from Anderotti's assertion that mob violence in Sicily is overblown.
What makes Pif's film so effective is the positioning of normal life against the horrors perpetrated by the mob.
Even as an adult, Arturo (now played by Pif) is obsessed with Flora (Cristiana Capotondi) despite all other distractions.
In other words, he is just a normal young man whose head has been permanently turned towards a girl and is blind to all else.
However, the mafia's atrocities often play their part in either dividing or bringing him together with his heart's desire.
Pif cleverly sprinkles real contemporaneous news footage and headlines throughout the film to give it authenticity.
The Mafia Kills Only In Summer is a splendid debut and makes me want to see much more from a young director with huge potential.
Reasons to watch: quirky take on mafia history
Reasons to avoid: makes light of some terrible violence
Laughs: three chuckles
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 8/10
Star tweet
Pif E quindi questa sera su Rai Uno, in prima serata,"La mafia uccide solo d'estate"! #lamafiauccidesolodestate #Raiuno
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