Burning Hearts (2022) User Reviews

Fine picture of mafia dynamics

[andreaalberto · 7/10 · 29 September 2022]

The film is a fine description of the dynamics in place between different mafia families, and it shows how these families fight for their power. I think the choice of portraying the story in black and white is a good one and it matches the cruelty of the reality portrayed, where despair, blood, vengeance and craving for power are the real protagonists.

On the other side, the love romance between the two protagonists stays in the background. Someone could remain disappointed since the trailer is very much based on the love relationship between Marinella and Andrea.

The story is also inspired by real events.

A gem

[a-muscio · 9/10 · 25 September 2022]

Beautifully shot, outstanding photography, good plot.

The movie was shot in the countryside of Foggia, Puglia, southern Italy.

It is a modern, noir version of Rome and Juliet but based on a real story.

The movie makes many references to real recent events of mafia and tells the story of Rosa/Maddalena, the first woman confessing the atrocities of this particularly violent mafia.

Elodie is really good, especially in some scenes. The transformation of Andrea is credible. Placido is as usual outstanding. Many other actors have a background in theatre and it shows. There is also a boy with the Down syndrome acting that I found exceptional, especially in a scene when he sings a poem on local food dedicated to dead relatives.

The religious celebrations like the procession or the "festa dei morti"/Halloween are moving and realistic.

The Faida

[zindo-66001 · 8/10 · 20 January 2023]

The Malatesta and Camporeale families have been contending for decades for control of the Gargano promontory area: Michele Malatesta (Tommaso Ragno) and Santo Camporeale, a fugitive, are the two respective heads of families, whose disagreements seem to have subsided after a bloody settlement of accounts and thanks also to the diplomatic interventions of a third local family, the Montanari, led by Vincenzo (Michele Placido) and his son Potito (Brenno Placido).

However, the ancient contrasts are destined to rekindle when Andrea (Francesco Patanè), son of Michele, and Marilena (Elodie), wife of Santo, start dating by maintaining a first clandestine relationship, then known to all, generating a violent and uncontrolled whirlwind of violence.