Logo 16In Questi Giorni, four young friends go on a trip to Belgrade. Like any road journey film, the characters get to work out their baggage through their travels, which here include illness, relationships and pregnancy. However, all four of them are united by the struggle to deal with transition. It’s a premise that’s already got a lot going on, but none of it adds up to anything worthwhile. It’s a film that’s difficult to get enthused about, despite positives such as treating sexuality as a minor character trait.

It’s difficult to figure out what doesn’t work in Questi Giorni, as its characters are well-drawn and performed well by likeable actors. By the film’s conclusion it becomes apparent: Questi Giorni has no rhythm. It’s perhaps fitting with the film’s tone of wistfulness, but Questio Giorni never breaks from its meandering pace. This makes the film difficult to engage with in spite of its decent characterisation.

Although the characters alone are engaging it feels like they were never good friends. Admittedly, part of the film’s story is about waning relationships, but it’s impossible to imagine these characters hanging out outside of the film’s story. In Stand By Me, it’s obvious that the four main characters have a history together, which is why their breaking-off at the end is so poignant. Not so here in Questi Giorni – which is a missed opportunity, given that each character individually has their own satisfying arc.

These two issues of rhythm and chemistry, when coupled together, mean that Questi Giorni feels limp overall. Encompassing the two equally well-storied genres of road journey and coming-of-age, Questi Giorni comes across as a forgettable entry in both.

RATING: 2/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Laura Adriani, Margherita Buy, Giulio Corso, Marta Gastini

DIRECTOR: Giuseppe Piccioni

WRITERS: Giuseppe Piccioni, Pierpaolo Pirone, Chiara Ridolfi

SYNOPSIS: Four young friends go on a trip to Belgrade.

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