Film Review—'Call Me By Your Name'

An abundance of style is, in no way, a replacement for substance in this beautiful adaptation of Andre Aciman's novel, directed by Luca Guadagnino.

Call Me By Your Name is a truly triumphant piece of cinema that chronicles a Tuscan summer in the 1980’s where Elio (Timothee Chamelet) is reaching the age of defining sexuality, sped up in this case by Oliver (Armie Hammer), an American student visiting for the summer to work under Elio’s father, a successful archaeologist (Michael Stuhlbarg).

In this stunning depiction of a summer romance, you will find all the normal fixtures, anxious beginnings teamed with suffocating angst, that slowly, touch by touch, evolve into spiralling adoration. And, of course, as the days grow shorter, the creeping sense of doom that comes with the inevitable goodbye begins to fill the gaps in the dialogue between our two central characters.

In addition to these customary features, Call Me By Your Name incorporates notions less familiar to a mainstream audience. One being the representation of homosexuality in our protagonist, who due to the attitude of his parents, is free to explore his urges without judgement. This contrasts the normal themes shown in films that fit into the classification of queer cinema and is a refreshing look at gay romance without some of its typical constraints.

The startling paradox of our central characters physicality's in comparison to their role in initiating sexual contact is another unique feature of this film. Elio’s slight and fragile frame contrasts his place as the driving force in the exploration of their relationship. Directly opposing this is Oliver’s broad physique, which displays reluctance and uncertainty when taking a timid response to Elio’s advances. This gives our lead character’s a fascinating dynamic, achieved with complete conviction in the performances of both Chalemet and Hammer.

As a lover of films full of beautiful people, clothes, architecture, and settings, it bought me joy to see a story played out with chic and leisurely European style not seen so well done since Vicky Christina Barcelona, To Rome with Love, and Midnight in Paris. Call Me By Your Name is a fusion of continental European culture; with German poetry, Alfresco dining, classical music, and conversations of Greek, Arabic, and Latin influences that make it undeniably and irresistibly elegant.

There are two moments in this film that I feel may stick me with for a long time. The first being a moment of intimacy, set in long grass after a sweaty bike ride under the Italian sun. As I stared intently at the screen, beneath my silence and stillness was a heavily pounding heart and a sense of giddiness rarely provoked by modern cinema.

The second, a conversation between Elio and his father, arguably, the resolving moment of the entire film, is correctly defined as, "one of the best exchanges between father and son in the history of cinema," by Jordan Hoffman of The Guardian.

Call Me By Your Name is a victory, worthy of the praise it received in the years award season. It was a joy to see the film pick up the Best Adapted Screenplay prize at the 2018 Oscars, despite Chamelet not being awarded for his performance as Best Actor—which would have seen him become the youngest person to win the title in 80 of the Academy's 90 years.

In conclusion, this film carries an emotional weight that is hard to shift even when the credits have finished rolling. If you can look upon the final shot with dry eyes and without the heaviness of every heartbreak you have ever felt, you have not understood the full gravitas of this story.