Movie: La Chimera (2023)
Production Companies: Tempesta, Rai Cinema, Ad Vitam Production, Amka Films Productions, RSI Radiotelevisione svizzera SRG SSR, Arte France Cinéma
Distributed by: NEON (America)
Director: Alice Rohrwacher
Starring: Josh O’Connor
Review by: Stefano Todaro

Our backdrop is an ethereal Tuscany. Is it 1940? Is it 2005? It’s honestly hard to tell with the gray haziness that floats over rural Italy. Cinematographer Hélène Louvart and director Alice Rohrwacher do so much to make the setting of La Chimera timeless. In some ways, it matters that our story takes place in the 80s, but the themes of loss, greed, and alienation are timeless. At times La Chimera looks like a pencil drawing, and at times a pastel pasture, but beautiful nonetheless.

The cinematography and color palette choices are entrancing, sucking you into Rohrwacher’s world of fantastical realism. And in this world is a carefully told story of a grave robber grappling with his past life and struggling to find a way forward after his release from prison. Arthur, played by Josh O’Connor, is a bit of an enigma. We only slowly learn about his life and past through his visions and as the film progresses.

After Arthur is released from prison it’s clear that his future is hazy. Should he rot away in his sheet metal hut? Does he find a new calling? Or does he help his merry band of misfits steal valuable Etruscan artifacts? The weight of his special skill of discovering buried treasure gives him no choice. Part of what makes La Chimera so effective is the angle it creates for us wanting a group of grave robbers to succeed. The characters in this group resemble a tight circle of friends, people who care about the well-being of each other, but also love having a good laugh when appropriate.

The stealing of ancient artifacts is a greedy act, so why are we rooting for Arthur and company when they’re in the tombs looting? They aren’t robbing for the wealth, they’re simply doing it as a way to survive. The society they live in seemingly does everything in its power to keep the poor people poor and the rich people rich. Another timeless sentiment that is just as relevant in 1984 as it is in 2024. The layering of wealth inequality and Arthur’s emotional turmoil in such an airy and light-feeling film makes La Chimera an almost addictive watching experience.

Some viewers might find the viewing experience to be tedious, but those might be cries from viewers who find themselves primarily watching films for the plot. That’s not to say this film lacks plot. Where some people might think a film would benefit from being “just 20 minutes shorter,” I wouldn’t mind seeing a 3-hour cut of La Chimera, just so I can have more time in Rohrwacher’s magical world.

The bow on top of Rohrwacher’s gift is the film’s sense of style and the post-production decisions. There’s a very compelling score, one that peaks with a bumping techno rhythm in the middle of the film, that rids us of any doubts we had about what decade La Chimera took place in. One of my favorite decisions revolves around Arthur’s group of graverobbers. In some scenes, their actions are comically sped up as if they were in a Saturday morning cartoon. It all adds to the whimsy and the adventurous soul of the movie.

To nobody’s surprise, Josh O’Connor gives us a stunning performance that brings everything together. It’s even more impressive considering that the Englishman speaks fluent Italian throughout the entire runtime. Had La Chimera been Italy’s entry at the Academy Awards in 2023, we wouldn’t have gotten such a terrible rollout for a movie that deserves so much more. While awards mean next to nothing, especially for a filmmaker like Rohrwacher who simply makes films she’s passionate about, it was still a missed opportunity that could have gotten La Chimera in front of more eyes. It had a limited release at the end of 2023 and is currently playing in a handful of theaters. It is also available on demand starting May 7, 2024 on all digital rental platforms.

When I say this, I mean it with my whole heart. La Chimera is my favorite Italian film of the 21^st century. And who knows, maybe after a few rewatches it will be my favorite Italian film of all time.

9.6/10

Written by: Stefano Todaro