The Consequences of Love (2004)

Paulo Sorrentino’s second feature after debut One Man Up (2004) stars Sorrentino regular Toni Servillo as a man living a seemingly arduous and tedious life in a Swiss hotel. We learn early on that Titta (Servillo) has been living in the hotel for some years, although Sorrentino only slowly begins to reveal the reasons for this. Titta lives a introverted life with a courteous attitude to the hotel staff that borders on rudeness; indeed, it is only after one of the hotel’s barmaids Sofia rebukes him for never even offering her a “goodnight” after years of attempting to engage him in conversation that he begins to thaw. As the relationship between the pair begins to grow, Sorrentino weaves Titta’s backstory into the burgeoning friendship (it’s unclear how each of them want it to pan out) and the film’s title offers a clue to the films’ crux. Having said that, nothing is telegraphed, as you might expect from Sorrentino. His films are captivating in whatever topics or styles he puts on screen, and The Consequences of Love is no different. It’s a slow burning thriller with a fascinating relationship at the center of it, and Servillo is (as always) exceptional, aided by an equally terrific performance from Olivia Magnani. 7.8/10