Cultural division has been a major topic in European cinema over the last few years. Romanian film "Before Snowfall" showcased how cultural division could damage youth while Academy Award nominee "Un Prophet" portrayed the racial separation within the prisons. Claudio Giovannesi's second feature film "Ali Blue Eyes" explores a young man's life as he defies the cultural boundaries and attempts to reconstruct his identity on his own terms.
Nader (Nader Sarhan), a Muslim Italian, leaves his home when his parents oppose his relationship with Italian born girlfriend Brigitte (Briggite Apruzzesi). The film takes place throughout a week in which Nader and his best friend Stefano (Stefano Rabatti) steal, party and eventually get wrapped up with a Romanian gang searching for revenge after the two stab one of their family members at a club.
Giovannesi opens the film on the beach where the two friends are preparing to rob a shop. Stefano is tough and has no problem getting his hands dirty. Nader on the other hand is insecure. When Stefano tells Nader to rob the store using a gun, Nader is hesitant and seems frightened to hold a gun in his hands. Stefano takes the gun and does the job while Nader drives the scooter to get away. The sequence sets up these two characters with a clear understanding of where they stand in the relationship: Nader likes to be safe while Stefano enjoys taking risks. The opening scene also sets up the tone of the movie as raw and unflinching. The camera movements are all handicam and insight the viewer into the fact that this will be a violent journey.
Despite his insecure nature in the opening scene, Nader does prove to be defiant and stands up to his teachers and parents. In one scene he takes down a cross from the wall because he is not Catholic. When his teacher asks him to put it back, he refuses. In another scene he tells his parents he is going out with his girlfriend. His parents believe he is going against his Muslim culture and committing Harem (that which Islam considers forbidden). However, he not only yells at them but defies his parents by reiterating that he is Italian. His disobedience prompts a turning point as his mother kicks him out of the house and forces to survive on his own.
Nader begins his life outdoors as carefree teenager that remains insecure and fearful of authority. When he goes to Brigitte's house to celebrate her dad's birthday, Nader tries to have sex with her. They hide in her room while his father is shooting his new rifle. However Nader is unable to complete the action because the gunshots scare him off.
As film progresses Nader starts to overcome his fear. In one scene at a club Stefano gets into a fight. Nader is hesitant to act but after a few moments intervenes and stabs someone. The action prompts a complete change as he becomes a criminal from that point on. He is now pursued by the police and a gang. This only prompts Nader to become more of an outsider and makes him question if he will ever be able to reintegrate with his family.
Despite his rebellious attitude, Nader shows a number of instances where he does attempt to make amends with his parents. He meets his father outside a gas station and promises that he will return. He even goes to the Mosque; at the beginning of the film his mom questions him for missing service.
Stefano's character goes in the opposite direction. He initially has no problem doing drugs, stealing or shooting guns. He also has no problem stealing from prostitutes and going home late. When he goes to the club he is the first one to start the fight, but he also becomes the first one to run away. As Nader and Stefano become intertwined with the Romanian gang, Stefano losses his confidence and becomes frightened by the prospects of getting killed. At first Stefano would have had no problem getting into fights but once he sees the sight of these men he exits the school from a secret passageway to avoid confrontation and even runs away from home to avoid capture. When his father interrogates him about the action, he puts the blame on Nader.
Stefano's confidence issues are seen from the start when he tries to lure his girlfriend back. She rejects him and even ridicules him in front of her friends. Throughout the film Stefano lacks a mother or a female presence in his life and his search to get his girlfriend back seems like a means of getting the comfort he cannot get at home. His father is always working and pays no attention to him. When all fails he becomes increasingly attracted to Nader's sister. He follows her around at school and his scenes with the girl are tender and genuine.
Giovanessi is never emphatic about the Muslim and Italian divide; he simply lets it simmer in the background quietly but powerfully. For example, when Nader decides to take refuge with his friend, he ends up in an apartment that has ten different people sleeping on sofas and on the floor. This demonstration of the conditions experienced by Muslims in Italy is subtle but extremely telling.
"Ali Blue Eyes" presents the raw and disheveled parts of Rome. The apartments and classrooms always seem claustrophobic. The only open areas are the beach and the streets but the decaying imagery and dark colors suggest an apocalyptic setting. The handicam and lack of lights also enhance this state of mind and also bring out the ugliness that these characters must constantly endure.
Ultimately "Ali Blue Eyes" is an engrossing and affecting coming of age story that demonstrates how a damaged society can change and corrupt the youth.
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