Thor, she came out of retirement to do this film which is directed by her son. The movie is getting great reviews, and she is also getting positive reviews.
One reviewer said, "She’s still got it, and as this performance reminds us at every turn, she always did."
Yep, from everything I've read, she seems like a lock to win a second Oscar for this presumed final role that she came out of retirement for.
She plays a Holocaust-surviving ex-prostitute, who's caring for a young Muslim boy. I'm sure the film itself is great, but also just that logline alone is enough to have Oscar voters salivating.
She plays a Holocaust-surviving ex-prostitute, who's caring for a young Muslim boy. I'm sure the film itself is great, but also just that logline alone is enough to have Oscar voters salivating.
He, he, indeed.
Cool to see Loren back on the big screen. Looking forward to it, if only for her performance. But looking her up on Wikipedia yesterday gave me a disconcerting piece of information that I wasn't aware of, i.e. that she's the in-wed aunt of Mussulini's fascist granddaughter. Not going to hold that against her, though. Not her fault.
Yared is hit and miss for me, but this might be a canvas suited to his sensibilities.
Loren is extraordinary, she's going to win her third Oscar at 86. (It will be her second competitive Oscar, one of her two current Oscars is is an honorary lifetime achievement award)
The little boy who plays the lead, and who has never acted before, is stunning, it's one of the great child performances, because he doesn't speak that much, it's all in his expressive face, especially his eyes.
The film is beautifully done. It's sentimental, but in the best way, and it's simple and spare and poetic.
Yared's score totals just 26 mins on the album, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of that isn't even in the film, but what's there is exquisite.
Unfortunately, the lovely end credits theme song (written by Diane Warren, not Yared) is not included on the album. It's sold as a standalone single:
Unfortunately in America underrated definitely applies to him. He has only been hired to score a couple of minor US studio films since the Troy debacle almost twenty years ago. And two of those are thanks to Angelina Jolie, who has excellent taste in the composers she chooses.
As I'm listening to the score on its own now, I'm finding that it's surprisingly melodic, revolving around two main themes. So everyone can appreciate how varied the score is, here are two samples.
Madame Rosa - the theme for Sophia Loren's character:
People Call Me Momo - the introductory music for the young protagonist, showcasing his theme:
The entire brief score can be found on YouTube to sample it:
By the way, I just bought the Laura Pausini single at Amazon, and you also get 4 bonus tracks. In addition to the original Italian version, you get her performing:
- English version - Spanish version - French version - Portuguese version
The song is really gorgeous, but just to be clear, Yared was not involved with it in any way.
By the way, if anyone is wondering why track 12, Drug Dealing Montage, is a Bonus Track, I rewatched the movie (which is amazing) yesterday, and that score cue is replaced with a (very effective) pop song in the finished film.
I keep listening to this stunning score, partly because it's only 26 minutes and such an easy listen, not a huge commitment, I just pop it on whenever I'm on the computer.
It's truly gorgeous, the melodies are beaufitul.
I also think it's funny that Yared uses a little piano motif I recognize from Betty Blue (or one very similar to it) in the cue "Helping Rosa."
Also, I believe the cue "Madame Rosa" is a source cue in the film, which Loren plays a couple of times on an old record player in her basement.
I really can't recommend this score highly enough.
Saw the film a couple of weeks ago. As a drama, I found it fairly middle-of-the-road. I've seen far better versions of this particular premise before. Its melodramatic tropes catered so obviously to Oscar consideration, a lot of the narrative and character turns felt very unrealistic. However, a lot of that was countered by Loren's excellent performance. If it hadn't been for that, it would have been as forgettable as something like THE BOOK THIEF.
The score was quite good. Typical Yared. Might check this out on album.
Note that, just like the digital album, the CD does NOT contain the song. It's a shame, it's an integral part of the musical narrative of the film, but Yared had nothing to do with it, he didn't write it, orchestrate it or produce it.
