An Italian drama based on real-life events, Dormant Beauty was inspired by the much ballyhooed 2009 case of Eluana Engarlo, a woman who was eventually taken off life support after being in a coma for some 17 years. Well-respected director Marco Bellocchio throws caution to the wind here, ambitiously attempting to interweave three narrative threads around the hot-button issue of legalized euthanasia in the strict Catholic heart of Italy. Bellocchio refuses to take a straightforward stance, instead letting his major characters represent the macrocosmic critical viewpoints in this case. The strictly religious side of the argument is embodied by well-known actress Divina Madre (Isabelle Huppert) who just so happens to have a daughter on life support herself and refuses to resume her career until her daughter either dies or comes out of her coma. Another major thread sees prominent politician Uliano Beffardi (Toni Servillo) struggling with his conscience over whether to vote for or against a euthanasia bill. And a third parallel narrative features a young pro-life woman falling in love with a pro-euthanasia demonstrator and a reputable doctor falling for a suicidal drug addict. Although even a talent like Bellocchio can't quite make these seemingly disparate characters and situations completely coalesce, he does manage to succeed at painting a larger and somewhat disturbing portrait of a cynical, depressed contemporary Italy caught between political corruption and religious dogmatism. Recommended. (M. Sandlin)
Dormant Beauty
Kino, 110 min., in Italian w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $29.95 Volume 30, Issue 1
Dormant Beauty
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