A film in which several couples suddenly begin to tell the truth to each other, as a result of which all the secrets are revealed and their life will never be the same, a great many. The tragicomedy “Ideal Strangers” (2016) is considered by moviegoers to be among them.
Plot. Tie
Film critics, considering the plot of the tape "Ideal Strangers", left positive reviews, appreciating the creative approach of a group of scriptwriters under the strict guidance of director Paolo Genovese.
The main characters - four old friends - decide to meet in the house of one of them with their soul mates. Three came with their spouses, and the fourth without a girlfriend who allegedly felt unwell. Among the participants in the family dinner: the welcoming owners of Rocco (Marco Gallini) and Eva (Casia Smutniak), newlyweds Cosimo (Edoardo Leo) and Bianca (Alba Rohrvaher), who are on the verge of stress Lele (Valerio Mastandrea) and Carlotta (Anna Folletta) and a lonely fat man Peppe (Giuseppe Battiston). In the process of dinner, the hostess of the house invites everyone present to play Pravda, a kind of game called Truth or Action. Only instead of action, others will have to demonstrate to everyone present the contents of their smartphone.
Worrying situation
Further events unfold at inexorable speed, the tension between the main characters grows with each next episode of the film "Ideal Strangers". Expert reviews call this artistic technique the best directorial move.
Not all invitees are ready to support Eva’s intriguing undertaking, but under the threat of scandal, the participants in the dinner party agree to this adventure. At first it seems that this fun will bring the company a lot of pleasant minutes of hanging out. However, nothing pleasant will be, since everyone has secrets of the past and significant skeletons in the closet. Moreover, as luck would have it, all secrets will come to light through smartphones in the form of SMS and calls.
The game of "Truth"
The film "Ideal Strangers" (2016) reviewers dubbed the Italian cinema version of the game in "Truth." In their opinion, the reason for appearing in the name of the word “strangers” is understandable, since all participants in the story, knowing each other for a hundred years, during the action reveal their true identities, not only for their faithful, but also for themselves. The only thing that confused specialists was the use of the term “ideal” by the creators. According to their subjective assumptions, the creators used it on purpose, with a fair amount of mockery, because all the characters in the film are far from ideal. As it turned out, all the participants in the dinner were good: both the victims and the stupid ones.
Almost a movie performance
Despite the fact that the entire tape was shot as a movie show: a couple of locations are used, 90% of the time all sit at the table, eat and drink, interrupting only for a smoke break - the picture has a high IMDb rating of 7.60.
In general, it is interesting to watch the project “Ideal Strangers”: the actors and roles are selected harmoniously, the development of the storyline, although predictable, is intriguing, and the culmination of the film is quite original.
The acting is up to par, but Anna Folletta, who successfully reincarnated as Carlotta, stands out among other performers. Her heroine is the most suffering, the most passionate, she has to solve more than any problems and survive disappointments. Also, once again convinced everyone of her professionalism, Kasia Smutnyak, who played the psychoanalyst Eva, who herself needs psychological help. All performers of the first plan roles of the film “Ideal Strangers” were praised by moviegoers.
Predicted Audience and Morale
Due to the fact that the tape is chamber, purely colloquial, it will most likely not be interesting for young people to watch, since the problems of long-married couples are not close to them yet. Also, the tragicomedy "Ideal Strangers" (film critics' confirmation of this) by fans of paintings with active action will not impress. But if the beholder is a fan of theatrical productions or has been in marital relations for more than 10 years and wonders why his chosen one is always taking his mobile phone with him when he goes to the bathroom, then watching the tape will bring him a lot of pleasure.
In the movie "Ideal Strangers", the actors and roles (photos of the characters are posted on the poster) tell the audience a fascinating story with two morals. The first is rather doubtful - it says that when using a mobile phone, it is best to use the simplest safety standards: put a password on the entrance, use the section of classified images and hidden SMS - and so on and so forth.
The second morality warns of the consequences of betrayal, recalling that everything secret will someday become apparent.
Typical Hollywood Product
The film “The Perfect Stranger” contains in its basis no less fascinating story than the work of Paolo Genovese, but its implementation has caused bewilderment of specialists and ordinary inhabitants. According to the cinema community, director James Fowley shot a standard Hollywood product that does not induce reflection, does not cause increased mental activity.
The picture was not highly appreciated by both critics and the audience, its IMDb rating of 5.70. Almost everything was criticized: the typical plot, the actors ’play - without half-tones, the absence of a“ double bottom ”and the awkward, as if alien, final part. James Fowley is not a director of the first magnitude, but he releases medium-quality films with enviable regularity; moreover, well-known movie stars are shot in his films.
The project "Ideal Stranger" reviews of the film are compared with the previous work - the criminal thriller "Scam" (2003). But if in "Scam", entangled in countless ups and downs of the plot, the director managed to get out of this situation, then in the erotic thriller of 2007, problems cover him head over heels. In order not to lose dignity, the producers in an interview said that after one viewing the “Ideal Stranger” is not perceived by everyone, only after a second viewing the audience will be able to appreciate all the advantages like skillful allusions and supporting plans.
Plot
The main character, Rowena Price, a journalist by profession, decides to independently investigate the murder of her friend. During the inquiry, she discovers that Harrison Hill, an influential businessman who leads a successful advertising agency, may have been involved. Together with assistant Miles Haley, the heroine starts a dangerous scam. The girl, pretending to be Katarina, the stenographer of the Hill Agency, then Veronica, seducing Harrison in the social. networks, trying to find out who he really is. But the closer she gets to solving the mystery, the more dangerous her investigation becomes.
Acting
The reviewers who analyzed the movie “The Perfect Stranger” were not impressed by the acting work of the real Hollywood stars - Holly Berry and Bruce Willis. It seems that the latter performs, rather, representative rather than acting: with his trademark smile, feline squint, Willis depicts without enthusiasm a sleek man, preoccupied with only one thing - how to put another beauty in bed with a view of his appearance. Oscar-winning Holly Berry was not pleased either. The actress, playing the most important and at the same time complex role, manifests itself so one-dimensionally that you are simply perplexed. Unlike stellar starring performers, Giovanni Ribisi looks amazing. The image presented to the audience is worthy and interesting.
A set of nonsense
It is not surprising that the thriller “The Perfect Stranger” (2007) received mostly negative and skeptical reviews. The film is full of all kinds of absurdities: frank blunders, absolutely unnecessary plot branches, noticeable stretches. From all of the above, the project looks like a high-budget fake with a strange name, the viewer is quite difficult to understand, what does the ideal stranger have to do with it. To all the same, the producers initially positioned the picture as an erotic thriller. In all likelihood, the declared status was not affected by the complete absence of erotic scenes in comparison with, for example, Paul Verhoeven's Basic Instinct.
In any case, before you make your own opinion about the film, you definitely need to watch it.