The definition of la chimera is a frightening mash up of parts that only exists in your mind. Or literally a Greek figure with a lion’s head, goat’s body and serpent’s tale. Ok, so now, this movie?
I understand Josh O’Connor’s sad character to a certain point. He ‘lost’ his girlfriend (we assume she is deceased) and he now roams the Earth as if in purgatory. He rejoins his wrong side of the tracks friends who raid graves for valuable jewels and pottery. And then…? He meets his girlfriend’s mother’s (Isabella Rosselini’s) new maid/assistant (played by Carol Duarte) and after some time embers begin to get warm. He decides he can’t have a normal life after losing ‘the one’ and returns to thieving. I won’t tell you the end of the story, but my take was he chose martyrdom.
But why? Did he kill his girlfriend or accidentally cause her death? The trio of Italian writers (one of which also served as director, Alice Rohrwacher) have every right to let it remain a mystery, BUT if they choose to do that, I would add much more spice to the story so we’re not constantly saying, ‘who cares?’. For instance, the deceased gaggle of sisters, have them be suspect of Josh O and humorously try to sabotage him (or come on to him one by one). Or add more spice to his relationship with Carol since as is, there is zero nudity or lustful scenes. I thought Italians were passionate and fiery. Prove it!
I would choose Josh O’Connor over Ryan Gosling for a fantasy date, so I thought this would be a home run. But La Chimera is proof that if you don’t see enough of someone (either in story or passion) one is left feeling malaise.
