The Big Fake movie review:

Director Stefano Lodovichi’s The Big Fake is an acquired taste, but it is also a tactless and flavourless film. The crime drama follows three friends who go to Rome and occupy different positions that impact the nation’s politics and economy in one way or another. Toni (Pietro Castellitto) uses his skills to create different pieces of artwork, including counterfeit paintings and fake documents, for Rome’s criminal underbelly. Vittorio (Andrea Arcangeli) continues his path as a priest in the city, and Fabione (Pierluigi Gigante) works for a revolutionary group called The Red Brigade.

The film mostly revolves around how Toni forges paperwork and pieces of art in return for major money. It also shows how his dealings with the Mafia and other powerful people affect his relationship with Vittorio and Fabione. The Big Fake tackles several themes, such as authorship versus imitation, an artist’s moral blindness and self-serving nature, and identity as the ultimate form of forgery. For example, Toni working closely with the criminal underbelly of Rome serves as an intriguing paradox. He gains appreciation from within the shadows rather than being publicly celebrated. While the plot appears intriguing and promising on paper, the presentation fails to infuse enough excitement.

Director: Stefano Lodovichi

Cast: Pietro Castellitto, Andrea Arcangeli, Pierluigi Gigante, Giulia Michelini

Streamer: Netflix

The visuals are gorgeous, but the narrative desperately lacks drama. Even major plot points, such as the assassination of the Prime Minister and a breakup, appear as if they are mere checkpoints. The film makes references to The Red Brigade without delving into what they are, what they stand for, and what they do. It assumes that every member in the audience knows about the Brigade. Even when you do not know the background of a film’s history or politics, as with, say, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator or Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Dreamers, quality cinema often finds a way to pique your interest in what it talks about.

It is also problematic in its characterisation. For example, Toni’s girlfriend Donata (Giulia Michelini) asks him to tell her his dirty secrets. However, he remains elusive to her even as the artistic self panders to her. Soon, Donata breaks up with Toni, but when he realises that she bears their child, he tells her, “This is my first original creation.” While this may add a grey layer to Toni’s personality, Donata’s casual submission to his unruly ways suggests a misogynistic oversight. It is one thing being tasteless—being tactless is a different beast altogether.