CONSEQUENCES OF LOVE

Italy, 2004, 105 minutes, Colour.
Toni Servillo, Olivier Magnani.
Directed by Paolo Sorrentino.

Soon into watching this drama of a solitary man, I was tempted to think that it could be described as an existential portrait of ennui and scarcely repressed angst - but whether that would be helpful in a review, maybe not. But that is what it is. Toni Servillo plays a 50 year old man, ageing before his time, who has lived in a quiet Swiss hotel for eight years. He confesses to a lack of imagination, that he is bored, that he suffers from insomnia, obsessed by the desire to sleep. Gradually, we learn his secret - not so surprising, the surprise being what he ultimately does to break out of his confinement, what he calls his 'stolen life'.

The film captures his moodiness, his seeming aimlessness, his unimaginative introspection. Because of the silent, lone presence of Servillo and a certain dignity he communicates, we are captured as well.

The ending, with some possible redemption, is photographed in an iconic way that gives the anti-hero great dignity, with an unexpected final sequence that offers him some memory and immortality.

1. The title, the explanations given by Titta?

2. The Swiss settings, the hotel, the various rooms, the lounge, dining, Titta's room, confined? The garage? The streets, the shops, the bank and the vaults? The musical score, the songs?

3. The film as an existential portrait of a single man? His boredom, his anxiety, action, love, redemption, self-sacrifice?

4. The opening, the guard carrying the bag along the pathway? The hotel, Titta talking, describing the bald-headed man, describing himself in the third person? His comment about people having no imagination, boredom, the hotel as a prison? His stolen life? The discussions about insomnia and the obsession with sleeping? His routines, the heroin shot for twenty-four years at the same day and time? His phone calls to his family? The air of mystery?

5. The sketch of the other guests, the old man and his wife, his boasting about winning at casinos, her caustic comments, his losses, owning the hotel and losing it, playing Grabber? His cheating? In their rooms, his taking lithium, the humiliation by Titta and taking the card from his pocket? The separate beds? The wife coming to Titta and calling him an evil man? Titta giving them the case full of money? The bald man and the girls - and glimpsed later? The businessman coming from Mexico, questioning, telling the manager?

6. The manager and the discussion, discretion? The staff, Sofia and her work in the bar, her dressing and undressing, the relationship with Titta, her feeling needed? Her smile, talk, the gift of the shoes, the impact of the car, the discussion about not taking the car, her return? Her driving, the crash - and her going to hospital in the ambulance, passing the disappointed Titta in the taxi?

7. The car, Titta's action, the money in the case, the woman contact, the people counting it in the bank, by hand? His sitting and bluffing, the deception about the $100,000? Doing this for years, the final explanation to Sofia about his life, brokerage, the oil tanker, the Mafia money, the loss, being confined to the hotel and being a courier?

8. The phone call to his wife, his children, his wife's exasperation, one daughter talking to him? His brother's visit, their discussions, the talk about the best friend whom he had not seen for twenty years? The ending and the electrician, the voice-over and his remembering his best friend - some immortality for Titta?

9. The Mafia killers, their murder, the cruelty to the chair-ridden man? Their coming back, robbing the case, the phone call to Sicily, Titta outwitting them, the lift, shooting them in the garage? The case, his giving it to the old man and his wife?

10. The changes in him, the effect of the relationship with Sofia, his shy personality, orderly, no imagination, the loner? His change of heart, his rudeness to the girl sitting in his corner?

11. The robbers and his decision to go to Sicily, to confront the Mafia? In the car, the theatrical meeting? His explanation, his stance and defiance? In the car, the death of the Mafioso? His being put up to hang over the cement, his refusal to give information, they had stolen his life, he stole their money? His memories - and the imagination about his friend?

12. The title, good deeds, memories?

13. Titta as both good and evil - and the possibility of some repentance and redemption through self-sacrifice?