MAXIMUM VELOCITY (VELOCITA MASSIMA)

Italy 2002 111 minutes Colour
Valerio Mastandrea, Christiano Morroni, Alessia Barella.
Directed by Daniele Vicari.

Maximum Velocity is a film set in Rome amongst young people, with a focus on fast living and fast cars. It is something of an Italian equivalent of The Fast and the Furious - which had memories of such classics as Rebel Without a Cause.

However, the Italian version focuses on the relationships at something of the expense of the action racing sequences. However, despite the high gloss and efficiency of the film-making, it is simply another young people and adrenalin-pumping car-racing film.

1. An Italian version of the American fast and the furious type of racing car films? The parallels and contrasts?

2. The Roman and Ostia settings? The roads, the garages, the beaches? The centres for young adults? Musical score?

3. The familiarity of the plot, based on a documentary about illegal car races? The young people involved, the cars and their engines, tuning them, repairing them? The races themselves? The groupies? An authentic feel - or a contrived entertainment?

4. Stefano and his garage, his debts, clashes with his father, dependence on his mother? His relationship with women? His friendship with Claudio, getting him to work, friendship and clashes? Angry when Claudio was right? Taking him to the obelisk? The initial race against Fischio? Losing? The defiance for winning? Claudio's engine, demonstration, the construction of the car? The clash with Fischio and winning? His being by himself, his declared chauvinist attitudes towards women and advice to Claudio? Getting further in debt, money from his father and mother? His build-up to the race, the entry, the race itself? Claudio and the car at the end?

5. Claudio as the central hero, his age, experience, the wanderer? On his scooter? His fixing the cars, impressing Stefano? Staying at the garage, doing the work? Stefano and his complaints? Going to the race, in the car during the race? Claudio and his watching Fischio and Giovanna? His staying at home, restless, going to the beach, looking for Giovanna? His timidity with her? Going back, the beginning of the friendship, sexual relationship? The going to the Moon Springs with her friend and with Claudio and Stefano, their playing in the mud? Her being evicted by her landlady, needing the money, her explanation of her ambitions to study and work in a travel agency? Planning to travel with Claudio? His invitation to move in? Her thinking that there was more to life than cars? Stefano and his wanting Claudio to apologise about the fight with Fischio over Giovanna? The race itself, Claudio's participation, with the car at the end?

6. Giovanna, the young women, their jobs, waitressing, studying? Groupies with the car drivers, with Fischio? Her walking off after his insulting her, the friendship with Stefano and Claudio, attraction to Claudio, being put off, the relationship? Moving in with him?

7. Fischio, his wealth, arrogance, the races, his winning, then losing? The final confrontation?

8. The adult world of responsibility for money and loans, the parents and Stefano's father giving him advice? The contrast with the world of the young people at the garage, the races, at the beach resort?

9. Popular entertainment, the male emphasis on cars as extensions of themselves, the races, macho attitudes, especially towards women? Claudio and his greater sensitivity? The moral of the film about success, talents, and relationships, that there was more to life than cars?