La meglio gioventu: Trapped in Youth

By Karen - 29 July 2021

When everything is a foregone conclusion, we always look back frequently and find that the past is so beautiful. At that time, we were still unaware of the suffering and pain that was coming, we had a heart that dared to love and hate, then everything was possible.

Some things are destined to make people excited.

The journey of Matteo and Nicola to send Giorgia home is so beautiful. In a typical Italian summer, the photographer seems to be wearing a youthful filter. All the images are then gilded, flowing with a gentle and bright tone. The wash-like transparency is exciting. There are also thoughts that are moved by the wind, curling around and circling up. When Giorgia was sleeping peacefully on the train with Matteo's shoulders, she stepped out of the guard for the first time. Her sleep was so peaceful that the eyes of the brothers were stained with a gentle mist. When they cheered for the Italian team's loss in the grocery store, and when Matteo ordered a song for Giorgia on the vending machine, their hearts were connected.

Matteo is like a flame in my eyes. He has the most sensitive heart. He always hides the complex and detailed emotions in his heart, and then he communicates with others without any thoughts. He used to love literature and read poems for Giorgia in the library. The quiet and unmanned library was the perfect place in his mind. Then he met Melalie, an important woman in his life, for the second time in the library. Books play an important role in Matteo's life. He is addicted to books to escape dissatisfaction with himself in life. Melalie once accused him of loving books because he can decide when to pick up and put down the book. And his mother sat in his room after he jumped off the building, looking at the room full of books, as if immersed in his soul. In the end, the mother picked a few of his books and hugged them in her arms, as if she was holding the baby back then. When the book fell to the ground, the pain in her eyes was so deep, as if she could not hug her beloved son. He not only put down the book, but also gave up his life.

He is beautiful, so his parents' quarrel made him recognize that marriage is not beautiful. This is a proud and good student who always gets an A in the eyes of his parents. Because he is unwilling to succumb to a pedantic teacher, he has to taste the consequences of failing the exam. He is the most talented one in the eyes of his parents and brothers. Such a person, in order to not be able to rescue Giorgia as he wishes, to find justice in his life, to uphold the justice he fought for, to abandon his studies and join the army. He is far away from this world, he lives in his inner world. His heart was scorched by the flame of his idealism and passion, and his heart was so hard that he could not bend, so it was destined to be broken and then broken. Regardless of the warmth of the family or the love for him, it is a drop in the bucket. His heart is self-enclosed, and at this point, he is so close to Giorgia.

"Remember the summer when we were young? How were you back then? How was I back then? Let's go to coin to listen to music, okay?" I thought Matteo was overcoming his inner feelings. Warm resistance, using the language of love to speak to Giorgia, who was close to him, but was blocked thousands of miles away by many years of trauma, beyond countless barriers. Before that, he passed by Rome and wanted to see his elderly parents. He passed them, just as he later chose to pass by Melalie, who loved him so much. Matteo has been avoiding love, he only expresses his tenderness to those lives that are more fragile than him. Such as Giorgia, such as for young children. Is he punishing himself?

Italian culture seems to be more family-oriented. Italy has never experienced a major crisis of faith in which people expose people, people betray people, people take refuge in rights, and people abandon values. Therefore, in Italian movies, we will continue to encounter family tolerance and friendship warmth.

That young sister said to Matteo, when I grow up, I will marry you, and I will also marry Nicola. The younger sister, seems to be the cohesion of this family, she represents kindness, peace and stability.

What about the eldest sister? The eldest sister seems to be the eye of justice under social norms. She will persuade the early Nicola to send Giorgia back to a better mental hospital, will go to the morgue on behalf of the whole family to recognize the body, and will help Nicola to take Sara's mother during the assassination. The tools are delivered to the law.

There is also the mother in this movie. Her eyes are the most beautiful old people I have ever seen. They are clear and powerful, with patience, tolerance, love and resilience written. On the wall of her room, Matteo's childhood transcripts hung. She carried Matteo to look after Matteo's friends. How deep the love is in her heart, and how deep the pain is. That is why I thank the movie for giving her a grandson, Matteo's son.

And Nicola seems to be the incarnation of beauty in life. He has almost all the qualities required by an ideal man. When he was young, he was tolerant and upright, and these qualities never left him. In his relationship with Sara, Sara's mother, his family, his patients and his friends, without exception, we all see the gleam of his virtues.

He is persistent and capable of action. In this way, after failing to rescue Giorgia for the first time, he will turn his grief into strength and choose to go to the psychiatric department. It was also that he finally found Giorgia a few years later and helped bring those who abused mental patients to justice.

He is romantic and determined, and he will leave him alone after Matteo and after losing contact with Carlu and the others, he will still set off alone. When he fell in love with Giulia at first sight, he would follow to study in Turin. And take root and multiply in that city.

He knows how to deal with the trials and blows of life. Know how to make the right choice. He is our ideal appearance, with a kind and strong heart. He has the insight to see through the world, and the hope for the future that is still immortal.

But Matteo touched my heart. Matteo made me cry. About people always tend to love the fragility and reality in life.

This is a 368 minute journey for the audience. This is the portrayal of our youth, in life. For a while I couldn't write about it, just like you can't write about your favorite person, you need time and distance to give you courage. And after writing it, I can't read it for the time being, there are still many thoughts that still settle in my heart, and I can't say it.