“La Chimera,” the latest film from Italian director Alice Rohrwacher, paints a gorgeous, quiet fantasy from its story of a young, wearied tomb robber. This movie relishes in the beauty of nature and the history buried secretly beneath its surface, creating a distinct modern wonderland that I couldn’t help but be pulled into.
The movie centers around Arthur (Josh O’Connor), a young British man who returns to a small town within Italy’s countryside after being bailed out of jail. Although initially hesitant to do so, he quickly rejoins his old crew in finding and robbing ancient tombs — not just because ancient artifacts fascinate him, but also because he needs money. However, the death of Arthur’s girlfriend, seen only in a series of flashbacks, haunts him, and he attempts to move on from his grief as he slowly begins to find love with Italia (Carol Duarte), a young Italian caretaker who works for his late girlfriend’s mother.
The gorgeous cinematography plays a huge role in creating the movie’s atmosphere. Throughout the movie, many grainy and bittersweet shots feel as if they are from personal camera footage, and are particularly used for presenting memories of Arthur’s late girlfriend, creating an air of intimacy and nostalgia. Cinematographer Hélène Louvart captures the gorgeous landscape of the countryside in patient shots that give the film a quiet beauty and add to the film’s distinct energy.
In addition to these beautiful stills, the camera work also captures some of the more mysterious elements of the story, particularly Arthur’s almost supernatural ability to find gravesites, by inverting the camera whenever his senses pick up one of these buried tombs.
However, the storyline of “La Chimera” itself often feels like a loose flow rather than a driving force. With a slower pace, the narrative serves as a guide to exploring the movie’s environment, which is a style of storytelling that can often be divisive. Personally, I thought this simple narrative thread allowed for flexibility in crossing between the realistic and the fantastical. In addition, the overall narrative is still able to deliver quite the emotional punch, albeit in a more subdued way that leaves a quiet ache or longing.
Furthermore, the lively cast of characters within the movie adds a strong presence against the more peaceful landscape. A particular standout is the team of grave robbers that Arthur works with, which consists of fascinating characters such as the brash Pirro (Vincenzo Nemolato) and the airy, charming Mélodie (Lou Roy-Lecollinet), who tags along. It’s this group that drives the comedic beats of the narrative.
As with much of “La Chimera”, the comedy also comes with a certain sweetness. For example, the tomb-digging excursions of Arthur and his friends have a charming playfulness, detailed with sped-up footage as they scurry from one tomb to another, nimbly running and hiding from the occasional police that chase after them as a bard’s song about their adventures plays on top of their excursions.
The performances further elevate the already-enchanting energy of the story. O’Connor is a particular standout, emitting a certain soft charm as Arthur. He deftly navigates between Arthur’s quiet exuberance in the illegal archaeological escapades and his longing and grief, a constant remnant of the devastating loss he faced. Furthermore, O’Connor’s chemistry with Duarte gives a needed sweetness and pull to the romance between Arthur and Italia.
Alongside O’Connor, Duarte shines in her role as Italia, a grounding presence in the narrative, whose awkward charm creates an endearing atmosphere in every scene she is in. Beyond these more romantic moments, Duarte excels at the dramatic beats, especially in confronting Arthur over his tomb-raiding activities. There is a certain boldness to Duarte’s Italia that stands in contrast to Arthur’s reservedness, pulling the audience out of the mystical side of Arthur’s adventures and bringing them back to sore reality as he opens and steals from what are meant to be places of final, eternal rest.
With its combination of gorgeous imagery and enchanting performances, “La Chimera” presents an enrapturing tale of love and loss between its characters as they teeter between the past and present, creating a spellbinding experience that will certainly leave you with a bittersweet longing.
