The Days of Abandonment (2005) User Reviews

Separation and the search for a new life

[hof-4 · 6/10 · 7 November 2023]

This is one of many movies on the subject of couples breaking up, based on the second novel of Italian writer Elena Ferrante, a work that garnered critical and popular acclaim. Olga, a stylish, attractive woman in her forties is informed by her husband Mario that he has taken up with another, younger woman, and intends to pursue his new relationship. Mario offers the usual phony pseudophilosophical explanations to justify his lust for youth and Olga goes through the ordeal with predictable reactions: feelings of inadequacy, rage, inability to accept the situation with equanimity, then a sort of numbed reconsideration and the realization that her life has been destroyed and that she may need to find a new meaning in other relations. Olga's and Mario's two children are confused, trying to juggle love for their father and the realization of his misconduct. Then Olga tentatively initiates a relation with Damian, the musician in the apartment below hers, until then a hello/in/the/corridors acquaintance.

This is a curious movie. Some of the scenes are heavy handed, like that where the initial intimacy of Olga and Damian is frustrated by her rage toward Mario and his mistress. Then the movie veers toward fairy tale (or magic realism) territory, and we may imagine that some sequences (like the concert, or Damian's place in it, or even Olga's relationship with Damian) are imagined by Olga. The title, Giorni d'Abbandono plays with the dual meaning of the word; it means abandonment of a person by another but also to abandon, to let yourself go, follow your heart, your feelings, your intuition.

On the positive side acting is good all around with special mention for the always excellent Margherita Buy. Cinematography is first rate in interiors and exteriors and music does its job unobtrusively. I found the movie interesting although I don't think it totally attains its objectives and, apparently, Ferrante objected to its take on her book. Anyway, it deserves a watch. A remake (with almost the same name and script by Ferrante) is in progress, helmed by Catalan director Isabel Coixet and starring Penelope Cruz.

no

[sghisla · 3/10 · 5 August 2010]

I am very disappointed. All the usual clichés: the Italian self-victimizing woman and the Italian husband, of course a superficial cheater. In fact, hey, these things happen every day all-over the world. Some people react depressively,like Olga in the movie, it is true. But nothing in this movie made me sympathize or feel in any way closer to the abandoned wife. Who is neither bad looking nor too old to start a new life, and easily. On the other hand, there was not even a drop of rational explanation for such an excessive and in some ways pathological reaction (she managed to break the nose of the husband, kill his dog with poison, almost loose her children and almost kill her husband lover). I would have expected either one (more empathy) or the other(more understanding), but nothing was there. Digging into the mind of the depressed wife could have been helpful. But nothing, absolutely nothing.

At the end i just thought: what is this for? Because if movies do not have to carry a message, it is also true that representing human relations in such a way is a choice made by someone (the director, I guess). It is not reality, it is just a representation of a piece of reality. It might exists somewhere, but I would like to know why choosing a character like this in a story like this. Was it to represent the role of the woman as a victim (but I just felt she needed professional help, not that she was a victim)? Was it just to say: hey look how bad someone can feel if you take your stuff and run away (thanks, I know it by myself)? Maybe it was a moralistic message behind it (I don't think, but maybe, thinking about the ridicule, but at least understandable clichè coming from the husband, we should think that he is the bad guy)? In conclusion, I have no idea what I have just finished watching. I just know I really did not like it.

A superb performance in a clever, delicate movie

[giovanni-frigieri · 8/10 · 14 October 2005]

A superb performance by Margherita Buy playing an abandoned wife who recovers her self-consciousness and finds the strength for a new start. The story follows a classical, quite conventional path but the real strength-point is the sharp but sympathetic look upon the sudden emotional earthquake in a normal, everyday family life. While avoiding psychological commonplaces, the movie sketches realistic characters in a realistic situation. Something different from many hysterical, exaggerating plots of this kind, where everybody is continually shouting in each other's face. A clever, delicate movie with some touch of humour. Luca Zingaretti is also remarkable as the villain.

Intense and disturbing

[vbertola · 9/10 · 24 July 2006]

This is the story of an abandonment, where a family like any else is left by the husband. It is intense, brave, and not for the faint of heart.

It will be most significant for those of us that underwent this experience in their life, as dumped partners and parents, as neglected children. The precision with which all the psychological and practical details of a family break-up are described is surprising - but also, if you went through it, deeply disturbing. In this case, I recommend caution. But, it could also help you in elaborating your loss, and getting some hope in the end.

For anyone else, it still is worth seeing, for a memorable performance by one of the best Italian actresses of these years, and to try to get a glimpse of these feelings.