Movie: The Best of Youth (La Meglio Gioventu)
Cast: Luigi Lo Cascio, Alessio Boni, Jasmine Trinca
Very rarely does one come across movies that interweave such diverse threads of life as it does in this modern classic. “The Best of Youth” narrates the story of an Italian family, the Caratis, but especially the story of the two Caratis brothers — Matteo and Nicola. The movie opens in 1966 and covers the development and growth of the two brothers from adventure loving youth to adulthood and later to retirement in the early 2000s.
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The movie starts with the two brothers planning to take a European trip after they finishing their university exams.
In the meantime Matteo chances to meet a girl, Giorgia, at the mental asylum he works in and decides to rescue her from there when he finds out how cruelly they treat her at the asylum. So, he decides to take her along with Nicola in the tour. However Giorgia is re-captured and the events of this summer determine the destiny of the two brothers with Giorgia playing a crucial role in the choices they make in the future. Nicola goes on the European tour, and Matteo joins the army. Nicola later becomes a psychiatrist.
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The movie depicts how each of the brothers is shaped and influenced by the past as well as the politics of their times. Nicola is the more stable of the two. Matteo is lost in some deep sorrowful world of his own.
This movie wonderfully captures the intricacies of human life and the complexities of existence. This movie is a timeless tale of love, brotherhood, friendship, forgiveness and courage.
The only thing that might dissuade people to watch the movie would be its runtime of more than 366 minutes. But this is one such movie, which has to be savoured and enjoyed and never to be forgotten.
SNEHA S, Stella Maris College.