Italy 2025
Opening November 20, 2025

Directed by: Paolo Genovese
Writing credits: Paolo Genovese, Isabella Aguilar, Lucia Calamaro. Paolo Costella, Flaminia Gressi
Principal actors: Edoardo Leo, Pilar Fogliati, Emanuela Fanelli, Maria Chiara Giannetta

Lara (Pilar Fogliati) and Piero (Edoardo Leo) discuss whether to stay in Lara’s apartment, where Lara keeps turning the lights on and off, or go to a restaurant. They stay in the apartment which they call “The Nest.” Although this is their first date, they have known each other since childhood, attending the same school. Lara restores furniture, saying “furniture is forever faithful.” Piero is a retired teacher. Standing around in the kitchen they talk about relationships, including ex-partners. The doorbell rings and Lara goes downstairs to the street, where a young man gives her a bag, which contains a coffee machine, but more importantly, there is a small box with a diamond ring. They continue their conversation including comments about men in general and how one should treat women. They smoke, and one hour into the film comes the first kiss.

This relationship is special because Lara and Piero are each accompanied by four alternative versions, or inner egos, of themselves. We have ten people in the kitchen, all speaking up for either Lara or Piero. What could be ninety-seven minutes of slow-moving, repetitious non-action, becomes interesting through various personalities. The title of this comedy and love film could translate to “You, I, and everyone else are talking to each other,” and is Italy’s film of the year 2025. My colleague wrote in a review that it is for viewers fifty years and older. Perhaps because they can identify with Lara and Piero? It is supported by about eighteen songs, all over-powered by the Freddy Mercury/Queen song “Somebody to Love.” That alone would inspire me to go up one more star to ***** and view the film a second time, but, hey, I’m over fifty years old. (Becky T.)