Fifth about The Seventh

Naples in Veils (Napoli Velata)

Naples in Veils: this tale of obsession amidst a murder investigation, told by Ferzan Ozpetek, fails to be engrossing. The obsession feels unwarranted, the mystery is for all purposes irrelevant; above all, the main character is simply quite dull, her occupation wasted and her general interests superficial. There is an old college try to make this more interesting by taking a deeper look at the film’s backdrop, but not enough of Naples is used to make the city a meaningful character. Giovanna Mezzogiorno’s performance never rises above the character’s dullness; Alessandro Borghi looks the part of someone worthy of obsession, but his creation of a cold dominating man is simply too calculated, artificial. Cinematographer Gian Filippo Corticelli does his best to capture Naples with charm and a bit of mystery. Composer Pasquale Catalano’s musical score is moment-to-moment beautiful, but a bit too much on-the-nose as it tries to enhance the mood.

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