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| The Embalmer SYNOPSIS A stark, mesmerizing depiction of a romantic triangle between a gay dwarf, a hunky straight guy and his girlfriend that disintegrates into obsession and eventually violence. REVIEW Drawing inspiration from a Rome tabloid case, The Embalmer is the story of a dangerous romantic triangle that disintegrates into violence. It pulls the audience into a dark, mesmerizing world and never loosens its grip. Peppino (Ernesto Mahieux) is a middle-aged gay dwarf, a skilled taxidermist with connections to the local underworld in a small coastal town outside Naples. He has a history of obsessing over straight guys. He meets Valerio (Valerio Foglia Manzillo), an extremely tall, strikingly handsome young man with a friendly disposition and a passion for animals. Offering better wages and a more interesting alternative to waiting tables, Peppino invites Valerio to assist him in his workshop. He has designs on Peppino, which he keeps quiet at first. Their bond solidifies further when the younger man's living situation with his family becomes strained, prompting him to move in with Peppino. When Valerio meets Deborah (Elisabetta Rocchetti), a rootless young woman who insinuates herself into his bed and into their lives and home, Peppino becomes increasingly resentful of the intrusion. He tries to set up sexual situations with Valerio several times and fails each time leading him further into obsessing over the object of his desire. Director Matteo Garrone expertly builds an underlying sense of dread through images of entrapment and imprisonment, and the disturbing presence of death and mummification. Mahieux's nuanced performance in the pivotal role walks a fine line between sly manipulation and pent-up desperation, as Peppino is driven to increasingly rash measures. (Italian with English subtitles) Robert Cargni |
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