Reality: Matteo Garrone’s film tells the story of a Neapolitan fishmonger who gets obsessed with being selected for a reality show after making an impromptu audition. It’s a sad tale because the protagonist is a hard worker and caring, but is swept by an unlikely dream and puts everything at risk. The protagonist is well-played by Aniello Arena, who mixes his charm with a sense of being lost and mesmerized. Loredana Simioli plays his loving but suffering wife, with increasing pain in her face. The supporting cast is filled with great faces. Composer Alexandre Desplat’s musical score reinforces the sense of fantasy. Cinematographer Marco Onorato’s dynamic camera draws from the reality show grammar, often using a birds-eye view, sometimes getting very close to the character as he thinks he is being scrutinized. Editor Marco Spoletini gives the film a nice pace.