THE LAST NIGHT OF AMORE/ L’ULTIMA NOTTE DI AMORE 

Italy, 2023, 124 minutes, Colour.

PierFrancesco Favini, Linda Caridi, Antonio Gerardi, Francesco Di Leva.

Directed by Andrea DiStefano.

A forceful strong police story.

The setting is Milan, seen during the initial credits, high above the buildings and night lights, a resounding score, setting up a mood. The focus then transfers to Franco Amore, 35 years and honourable police officer, his final night on duty, hurrying to an incident in a freeway tunnel, and the death of his partner. Quite a dramatic opening. But, was the title meant to be tantalising with its choice of Amore for Franco’s surname – it does sound like a title for a drama on sexuality and relationships, but no.

Then the action goes back 10 days, quite a complex story, a story of duty, a story of conscience and decisions.

For a long time, PierFrancesco Favini has been a significant leading man in Italian films. And this performance reinforces his status. He is composing his farewell speech for his colleagues, is in contact with his wife, loving him, but more than a touch flighty and ambitious. He is called by his wife’s cousin, a jewellery dealer, to help with a wealthy Chinese customer in a health crisis.

Franco has never shot anyone during his 35 years, has a solid reputation. However, financial difficulties are ever present, and officers take on side jobs out of hours. The first part of this drama is a job, Franco with his partner picking up some contacts from China at the airport, matters not quite right, a flat tire, police confrontation, shootings… All very dramatic, especially since the film does not use CGI but the sequences were filmed in an actual Milan tunnel, cars speeding past, danger, tension…

The second part of the film is the investigation, Franco confronting the mystery of what has happened, his attempts to find out the truth, betrayals, corruption, covering his own presence, his wife caring for the son of his dead partner, her flighty hopes and fantasies, her wilfulness intruding on the investigation.

While the complications of the action engrossing, it is the portrait of Franco, his hopes for his integrity, the financial situation concerning his pension as he finishes his service, discoveries of betrayal, and moral issues concerning the truth that are at the core.  The film draws to a dignified ending, Franco confronting those who need to be confronted, but ending his career of duty with a message of appreciation to his colleagues. But, of course, the consequences are still open, the audience left to ponder what decisions they would make.

1. The title? Franco Amor a and his police service, final night? The drama, challenged? The play on words on his surname?
2. The Milan settings, the opening, the night, the aerial views of the city, prolonged, the dramatic music? The Cathedral, its recurring presence? Homes, police precincts, clubs, business centres, the streets, the freeways, the tunnel? The musical score?
3. The initial atmosphere, Franco, the tunnel, the accident, the friend did, his reaction?
4. Going back 10 days, the dramatic buildup to the situation, the complexities of the shooting, Franco leaving, alibi, returning, investigation, revelation of corruption, his final night, his broadcast to the police? His future?
5. Franco as a character, 35 years in the police force, not fully promoted, never shooting, his reputation, interactions with his colleagues? The retirement, the pension, financial difficulties? Relationship with his wife, her personality, ambitions, pressure on him, hopes for the retirement? The moral issue of the job, the diamonds, her pressure? His friend, jobs out of hours, the decision to partner him at the airport? The consequences? His relationship with Cosimo, his wife’s cousin, call to help with the ailing Chinese? The consequences and working with the Chinese?
6. The atmosphere of the police precinct, the officer in charge, attitude towards Franco, police investigations?
7. Cosimo, the link with the Chinese, jewels and diamonds? Franco’s audience with the head, his son-in-law, sinister, ambitious? The old man’s gratitude? The job, the delivery of the diamonds, meeting at the airport, driving the carrier? The discussion with Dino, his son, Franco’s wife looking after him, Dino and his motivations?
8. The situation, the airport, the carrier, the bodyguard, sinister and silent, no weapons? The drive, the tension, the flat tire, continuing to drive, stopping, the arrival of the police, the interrogations, the treatment? The gun, the shootings, Dino’s death, the bodyguard’s death? The carrier, escaping, with the diamonds, her being killed? Franco, taking the diamonds, throwing them onto the freeway? His leaving the situation?
9. The tension, Franco’s alibi, going for the run, the Farewell party, his wife’s attitude, his phone call, getting her to collaborate, her pressure about taking the diamonds, driving to the scene, with Dino’s son, her demands, getting through, going to find the diamonds, the torch, her finding them? Getting away?
10. The chief, the phone calls, summoning Franco, his arriving at the scene, his covering that he had not been there, Philip police, the phone, the suspicious calls, the suspicious officer and his reputation for corruption, the death of the police who attended the scene, the death of the woman, the presumption that there would be no shooting because of Franco’s reputation?
11. The setup, the Chinese boss and his reaction, summoning the meeting, his son-in-law, Franco denouncing him, Franco and his statement that he would keep the diamonds, to support Dino’s son…?
12. The final night, on the streets, the searching, the visit to the Chinese, on duty, the final broadcast and the acclaim from fellow officers?
13. Franco standing, looking forward, his future?