Dormant Beauty (2012)

I love this movie so much

Waste of time

Instant Favorite.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

"Bella addormentata" is a confused, long and boring film about euthanasia. There are two true events as the background of the story: the last days of an Italian woman called Eluana Englaro whose parents authorized euthanasia after seventeen years in a vegetative state and the voting of Italian politicians about the right of euthanasia during the government of Silvio Berlusconi. The acting is top-notch and the cinematography and camera work are excellent.However, the screenplay is a complete mess for those that do not know who Eluana Englaro is and what happened to her. There is no explanation about the big picture, forcing the viewer to stop the movie and research about her story. The entwined fictional stories are not engaging or romantic and there are only shallow discussions about the theme euthanasia or the fanaticism of religious people against this procedure. Based on the IMDb User Rating, maybe the viewers that have lived or followed the drama this woman might have enjoyed this film much more. My vote is four.Title (Brazil): "A Bela Que Dorme" ("The Beauty that Sleeps")

Marco Bellocchio's Dormant Beauty is a well-made movie. The film has good acting, good cinematography, decent dialogue, some interesting directing choices, strong themes, and all around is a very well done movie. Despite this though, the film suffers from a somewhat confusing story structure.There is a specific story in Dormant Beauty, but it is also about episodes that tackle such subjects as life, love and hope. Such stories are treated in an adult manner. Dormant Beauty is set in Italy, and is based on the true story of Eluana Englaro, a woman who, because of a car accident, is in a coma state. Her parents consider euthanasia, but isn't legal to do in Italy in her specific situation, and the church and politics get involved.Dormant Beauty is also about two other stories relating to acquaintances of Englaro. These stories don't feel that connected to each other, which makes the film seem like it's more of an anthology series in some ways, but the similarity in subject material is still evident. One of the stories is about a young woman trying to kill herself with heroin. I liked how they approached the topic of heroin and suicide and the acting was also very good. The other story is about a member of the political government of Berlusconi who refuses to join the party and wants to pursue a bill that will make euthanasia completely illegal in Italy. What I liked about the political story of the film was the way it was shot. After the death of a woman in the politician's story which he is sad about it, in the background, a political gathering is shown appearing from the politician's mind, but almost like it's happening right next to him, but it's not. That scene is incredibly powerful and powerfully acted.The film's score, small as it is, is quite good. Having a classical feel but also a modern mix as well.Dormant Beauty is a film with good intentions, but suffers from somewhat of an incoherent story, and a lack of a real style. It has its moments, and the setting looks great.

I liked Maurice Yacowar review and I agree mostly in what is saying, but for me is missing a jump in the analysis in order to see not only the factual elements but also the implicit meaning of the film. I think that the film is trying to show the sleeping Italy with Berlusconi and the beginning of the wake up. Although various review critic the political episode, for me it is clear the similarity of the actual way of doing politic with the Roman Empire, including the hot bath, the tunics. In the end, when Rosa the drugged woman opens the window and do not pull down, it is clear that life is gaining and Italy is waking and can live again.

Marco Bellocchio's new film is a circumspect anatomy of mercy killing. In the four cases he dramatizes there are different balances between the public and the private interest. One inference is that on this issue there are such pronounced differences that humanitarianism cannot be served by a single template of admissible conduct.The film begins with the most public case, based on the 2009 controversy in Italy when Beppe Englaro decided to take his comatose daughter Eluana off her life support system. (A similar scandal roiled the US at the time.) There were angry demonstrations for and against this intervention. Here the Italian parliament is about to debate the right-wing government's motion to prevent this euthanasia. The other cases lead from this public one to three more private ones.The title points us to several dormant or sleeping beauties here. Most obviously, they are the four comatose women. But perhaps there is an allegorical alternative: the beautiful love that sacrifices one's own righteousness and safety to bring the beloved relief, whether in taking or in saving a life. For more see www.yacowar.blogspot.com.