Leopardi- Il Giovane Favoloso Review

Leopardi (Il Giovane Favoloso 2014) directed by Mario Martone, with an amazing performance by Elio Germano (My Brother is Only Child) in the title roll. It was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 71st Venice International Film Festival, and is now showing as part of the London film festival.

A biography on the 19th century poet and philosopher, regarded as on par with Dante Alighieri, whose physical handicap is seen as a major spur for the depth of his pained writing, something which Martone’s film tries to re-balance by giving a voice to the poet himself through his diary writings.
The authentic script written by Mario Martone and Ippolita Di Majo, based on Leopardis diary Zibaldone which also recently has been translated into English.

Il Giovane Favoloso will introduce Giacomo Leopardi to a new audience, if it follows in the footsteps of last years Oscar winner Il grande bellezza (The great Beauty, 2013) as it shares some of the same lingering shots of beautiful architecture and poetry in abundance. Martone says it is mostly shot in excisting locations as the library where Leopardi studied is actually shot in the real house where he grew up.

The films musical score which is in part by Sascha Ring who is also known as Apparat, a German electronic musician, tries to give a contemporary feel to the 19th century set, while on the whole successful I felt that in particularly one scene the English lyrics limited the feeling instead of enhancing it.

The rest of the cast are great; Michele Riondino (Yong Montalbano) as his good friend Antonio Ranieri and the role of Fanny Targioni-Tozzetti, whom Giacomo falls in love with is given passion by Anna Mouglalis (Merci pour le Chocolat).

The films 137 min. doesn’t feel to long as you want to linger in the company of Leopardi, on the whole it was an interesting new acquaintance for me and if the the hats off to Mario Martone and his cast.