Wonderful character development!

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I was fortunate enough to see all of Sorrentino's work recently at this year's Italian Film Festival here in Hollywood and by comparison I can report that this movie is one of his best. To be sure - all the usual quirky idiosyncrasies of his style are represented: The dialogue not necessarily representing the individual character's intelligence but rather his state of mind, the quick, often fleeting hints at things happening, the sometimes inconsequential progression of plot which only makes partial sense once you've seen the whole time line, etc. This time the story lends itself nicely to all of Sorrentino's traits and save for the ending which once again seems somewhat stilted, his tale is a piece of work not to be missed. Check it out!

The opening shot is hypnotic, drawing you in. Into a world of strangeness and solemnity. A deep, Italian baritone-voiced narrator making the invite ever more enticing. Then:A middle-aged gentleman just sits in the hotel lounge, looking intelligent and distant, distinguished but also downright arrogant and rude. He never speaks to staff, or other guests, even, despite having been in residence for ten years.He does something, without fail every Wednesday - and a couple more things the same day, once a year.The sort of gentleman one could chance upon in any hotel, pretty well anywhere in the world. A poker-face of nothingness, smoking his life away, his concentration on his inner world only broken by the burned out cigarette stub. The excellent acting of Toni Servillo, coupled with the sublime direction of Paolo Sorrentino, employing a Kubrick style of slo-steadicam, with an ever sense of steady dread. Always compelling rather than propelling, the story unfolds with Servillo's character, Titta, as he leads this strictly regimented life until confronted by the stunning Sofia, the barmaid. She looks at him straight in his eye and states that she's made his bed, served him this and that, had always been polite and courteous for the three years she's worked there. And he's never had the decency to utter a single word to her. Instead of being nice back or even saying anything at all, we're aware that a flicker of something human has sparked within him. But, as the very title states, this lowering of his guard could very well be his downfall. What does, however inflame this film and raises it even higher are the occasional flurries of activity. Titta hardly does anything more than almost nothing (driving one block, or looking around - not buying, though - a shopping mall) is accompanied by very loud punk rock music. This is unsettling - is this a dream he's having? Does he yearn for the fast life? Are the people he meets from a past, productive life? Do the characters he encounters then have any relevance to him - and to his situation now? The scenes look very real; the mood and ambiance are definitely not.Moving on into the realms of more conventional crime drama, but still with a cool unease and an almost Memento meditative pace, the whole reveals lives and opportunities lost. Of redemptive longing and knowing one's own fate. This is an intelligent film that refuses to retread a potentially familiar path.If in the U.K, BBC4 shows it again, wrap yourself inside it, be enveloped by it. You'll want to watch all of it, not that you know why but you'll be glad that you did. It's only 90mins. I've seen The Consequences... four times now, and I never tire of it. The ending will have you quietly shocked and amazed, too.

The opening sequence in this movie is one of the most stylish I have ever seen. Including the power of perfectly formulated first uttered words that directly tells the spectator what it is all about: "The worst thing for a man who spends a lot of time alone is...". There we go. So the main character is a loner. And you immediately want to know more about him. You are hooked and the film has your full attention.Each man is a mystery. Some big, some small. When there is a big mystery there is a good starting point for a movie. The plot in "The Consequences of Love" evolves around a man played by Toni Servillo with a secret that unfolds slowly. Slowly and gracefully in its own pace. And it is no need to hurry when the man is living in a comfortable hotel in Lugano in Switzerland. It is enjoyable to be there with him and share his daily routines, just as it is enjoyable sitting in the hotel bar in Tokyo with Bill Murray in "Lost in Translation". Toni Servillo's character has stayed at his hotel for eight years so he is in no hurry. And we have to accommodate to his speed. Or lack of speed, and that just feels good.But just as we have accommodated to his lack of speed, things begin to happen and we are forced to leave the calm and quiet life at the hotel. And like in so many other movies it is love that triggers action.When the first signs of love are showed between the mysterious man who is in his fifties and the girl who is much younger than him and works in the hotel bar, you start thinking a love story will unfold. But the movie is not a love story. At least not a traditional love story. No, the film just uses love as the trigger that sets action in motion. The focus stays on the loner and his actions that leads the plot to its unavoidable end, almost like in a Greek tragedy.Having seen this movie it is also impossible not to mention the clothes. Toni Servillo's character is extremely well dressed. It's a sheer joy seeing him and you cannot help but being both impressed and inspired His wardrobe, signed the Italian fashion house Kiton, is gorgeous and made me go out shopping a new suit the day after I saw the movie. But not a Kiton suit. The handmade suits from Kiton cost between 5 000 and 15 000 USD each.

This is one of the worst pieces of cinema I have seen in some time. This is also my first review so you can tell I must hate this film at lot.Don't get me wrong, I like my serious films. I don't like Hollywood too much, I tend to like French, Italian, offbeat US or anything that tries to communicate something sensible.But this was awful. Why? 1. The plot (such as it was) was entirely unbelievable, even though the director seems to be hinging everything on a feeling of realism.2. The main character has nothing to recommend him. Does he smoke for coolness or to show us his angst? For goodness sake this guy is meant to be an ex-dodgy mafia lawyer. Are we meant to care more because that he is also one of the meanest unfriendly people you could ever meet? And he smokes...so he must have deep personal issues. Pop psychology at it's best. In the final moments, I almost cheered as he gets buried in the cement. Best place for him. And I thought that was about the only good scene. Or maybe that was because it was so close the final credits.3. The entirely tired and unbelievable interest in the main character from the beautiful girl. She was there simply because beautiful girls always have odd sexual relationships with old, old men with a deep and meaningful personality (as demonstrated by smoking). Happens all the time. In really bad films that is.4. The pace was so leaden. I like slow, I like careful. But this was just deathly.5-50 a bunch of other stuff that I really can't be bothered to write.Awful.