Diciannove Review: Giovanni Tortorici's First Feature is Stylish but Lacks Substance.

      Luca Guadagnino, whether positively or negatively, serves as a key figure and cultural marker of taste. Following his direction guarantees a sensory experience, although one that often remains superficial. Since the release of Call Me By Your Name, Guadagnino has supported emerging filmmakers whose works are both visually appealing and intellectually intriguing. This includes Italian director Ferdinando Cito Filomarino (Antonia, Beckett) and, more prominently, Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvili (April). Last year, Giovanni Tortorici, who previously assisted Guadagnino on the HBO series We Are Who We Are, added his name to this group when his film Diciannove debuted in the Orizzonti section of the Venice Film Festival, receiving positive reviews from critics. This semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story centers on a repressed homosexual intellectual in Tuscany. Color me intrigued.

      Much like Leonardo, the 19-year-old main character portrayed by Manfredi Marini, Diciannove embodies a restless inertia. At the beginning of the film, set in Palermo in 2015, Leonardo is preparing to move to London to live with his sister Arianna (Vittoria Planeta) and pursue economics. However, after a few weeks experiencing the city’s lively nightlife and feeling out of place, he relocates to Siena to spend his days sequestered in a rundown room reading Daniello Bartoli and readying himself for debates with his literature instructors. Over the span of a year, we witness Leonardo’s growth as he solidifies his moral beliefs while navigating the limits of his understanding of the world.

      What stands out in Diciannove, aside from its somewhat conventional premise, is its distinct style. With the assistance of cinematographer Massimiliano Kuveiller and Guadagnino’s go-to editor Marco Costa, Tortorici enhances the film with various stylistic choices, including sudden slow-motion sequences, pseudo-surreal montages, abrupt zooms, fade-outs, freeze-frames, and poorly executed animation. Frequently, these techniques symbolize shifts in Leonardo’s mental state, particularly during his quiet exploration of his sexuality. Whether on a train, catching a glimpse of a man across from him engaging in self-pleasure, or navigating his fixation on a local underage teen, the form of Diciannove mirrors his arousal and excitement, amplified by David Tarantino’s captivating musical selections.

      However, the key distinction between Tortorici and Guadagnino (as well as Xavier Dolan, Sofia Coppola, and Wong Kar-wai before them) is that their films maintained engagement beyond mere fanciful flights; they featured strong narratives with stakes that effectively benefited from intermittent stylistic enhancements. Leonardo, by design, simply drifts—attending parties, pursuing desire, and immersing himself in literature—but it culminates in a lack of interest or tension. Diciannove maintains a languid, summery atmosphere while aching for meaningful consequences. There’s a suggestion that some narrative threads in life—like Leonardo’s nosebleed—lead nowhere, which is indeed part of being nineteen. Nevertheless, Tortorici doesn’t develop this theme further; it merely serves as a time capsule for this self-centered, unlikable character’s developmental phase, resulting in a stylish yet superficial depiction of narcissism.

      “Beware of fanaticism, which can lead to foolishness and distortion,” states Italian philosopher Sergio Benvenuto in a cameo towards the film's conclusion. “Be cautious, for your individual situation does not represent a universal case… in short, you are a poor wretch.” Leonardo hangs his head in contemplation, seemingly processing the critique, but as he leaves home and strolls through the streets at night with a smug grin, it’s clear he has no intention of changing. Benvenuto becomes yet another figure of authority to defy.

      Diciannove will be released in theaters on Friday, July 25.