La Chimera
There are films that invite you to follow a story, and there are films that simply invite you to drift. La Chimera, directed by Alice Rohrwacher, falls into the second category.
It is less about narrative clarity and more about atmosphere, mood, and the strange pull of memory and history. Watching it, you feel as if you are wandering through ruins yourself, unsure of what you are searching for, yet strangely comfortable in the uncertainty.
Some news outlets called it an “adventure comedy,” which, honestly, feels like a lazy label. Of course, there are adventurous scenes and a few comic touches, but the film is heavier than that. It carries melancholy, even sadness. One moment you’re laughing at the eccentric side characters, and the next you’re staring into the emptiness of an old tomb, thinking about time and all the things people leave behind. It’s a strange shift, but it works because Rohrwacher never lets the mood break completely.
Visually, La Chimera is simply amazing. Rohrwacher captures Italy of the 1980s with vivid colors and textures that make the setting feel alive. The authenticity of small details—the streets, the old houses, the poor countryside—gives the film a raw beauty.
The ensemble of characters is loud, (very) eccentric, and charismatic, each one bringing their own energy to the screen. Yet all eyes ultimately fall on Arthur, played by Josh O’Connor. His performance is the opposite of flamboyant: reserved, brooding, even gray in spirit. And still, he holds the entire film together. Arthur feels like a man weighed down by something larger than himself, and it’s hard not to be drawn to his quiet intensity. O’Connor’s restraint is what makes the film feel grounded, even when it flirts with magical or surreal tones.
La Chimera is not heavy festival cinema that you might expect from a trailer. It is not overly complex and quite accessible. Instead, it finds a middle ground: tender, emotional, full of small nuances, but also colorful, loud, and unapologetically alive. That balance is its greatest strength. It may not tell a story in the most straightforward way, but it creates a space where you can get lost, and that experience is powerful on its own.
For anyone looking for a film that captures the spirit of 1980s Italy while reflecting on history, loss, and the beauty of imperfection, La Chimera is worth the journey.
8/10
