The series from the IEE, producer Paolo Sorrentino (in principle, this can be dotted). Who read my preview - do not waste your time, I will not say anything new. After watching the final episode, my opinion remained the same - this series is not only a friend of genius, but also the series deserves a similar epithet. This movie, like a good novel, I want to put on the shelf on the honorary place away from fiction and reading.
And whoever reads about My genius friend (L'amica geniale) for the first time, I will tell you about him in detail.
The plot is based on the first novel of the tetralogy "Neapolitan Stories" by Elena Ferrante. A slow story about the difficult life and friendship of Elena "Lenu" Greco and Raffaella "Lila" Cherullo. This relationship began in primary school. Lenu and Leela were in the same class. Lena, a diligent and diligent student, has always been the best in her class. Once, in an Italian lesson, while the whole class was learning to draw beautifully and without blots in writing sticks and circles, Leela wrote her first words in the script. It turns out Leela learned to write and read on her own...and from that moment on Lena became number two. That's how the two girls' "life-long relationship" began. At first, this union was childishly harmless and sometimes even desperately like friendship, but as the girls grew up, the so-called "friendship" turned into some painful, sometimes manic attraction of one girl to another. And over the years, it has grown into a rivalry, with all the ensuing.
Yeah, it's been a while since I've written reviews in this format - one review, one show. Eh, I'll shake the old days. Let's get started.
With my hand on my heart, I admit that the beginning of the screen story is a bit heavy, full of details, close-ups, significant pauses, and dots. I'm not sure that many viewers will like this slowness, especially those who read the novel. From the lightness and dynamism of the original source is not left a trace.
In the first episodes, director Saverio Costanza (Hungry Hearts) devotes a lot of time and attention to the environment and environment in which the girls grew up. He takes us to a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples in the middle of the last century and immerse us in the harsh atmosphere of life and morals that reigned in the families of working people. In the same street next door, there are large families of a shoemaker, a doorman, a grocer, a clerk and...a mobster. None of the events will escape the attention of curious neighbors and become the property of the entire neighborhood. Conflicts are resolved by hot spores, selective swearing, slaps, kicks, and necklaces. Here nobody watches tone, words and behavior: fathers beat wives and daughters, old men are beaten with their feet in the middle of a white day in the street right in front of silent neighbors, jealous ladies throw flower pots and irons on the heads of rivals from the window, for bad behavior the father can easily throw his daughter out the window. However, such meticulous attention to details allows the viewer to forget that it is the 21st century, to plunge into the "truth of life" outskirts of Naples, shake off the annoying serial new-fashioned trends and better understand "where do the legs grow" in the difficult relationships of girls.
The plot slowly begins to gain momentum, and both friends in life begin to occur "adult things". Growing up takes girlfriends' relationships to a new level.
In this period and begin to appear the first sprouts of rivalry. Lena is in high school, and Leela works in her father's shoe shop, and her education seems to have ended. Anna no, stubborn Leela continues to engage in self-education and often "wipes her nose" to Lena.
I confess, the teenage film Elena embarrassed me a little bit with her infantile. When singing the novel, I was drawn in a completely different image. And only by the end of the first season, the screen Elena began to remotely resemble a book heroine. But this is my subjective perception, Elena Ferrante herself was very pleased with the selection of actresses. She practically did not participate in adaptation of the script, only occasionally sent the director letters with comments, advice, and recommendations.
And about the performers of the main roles, she said very flatteringly: "Young Leela is exactly as I described her, and young Helena in some moments is very similar to the woman who will be in the future. She knows more. Perhaps it should take time for Héléna's character to be fully revealed. But Leela, from the first frames, as she did from the pages of the book".
I look forward to the second season.
I will not urge you to give up all the work and stick to the screens. I only recommend - do not miss it. I have been doing TV series for a long time, and from personal experience, I will say - you will not often meet a film where censors and viewers are so unanimous! My genius friend of both of them was "on the spot"). For the first time in a long time, I meet a project where the loud promises of the creators of the series surpassed even the most exaggerated expectations of the audience. Bravo! Not like this - BRAVISSIMO!