User reviews

Emotionally intense movie handled unflinchingly by lead actor Castellitto. This immersive character study into an unfulfilled doctor's love affair is a tad too lengthy and perhaps the director indulges in his on screen action a little too much, but the dedication that the two ill-fated lovers give to portraying the rawness of their emotions and instincts will, despite once in a while misfiring, leave few viewers unfazed. Penelope Cruz is great as the counterpoint, and deserves much respect for assuming such a demanding, unglamorous role at this point in her well established career. Obviously it is the love of acting that propels her(no comparison to her English jobs), as this mildly received Italian film must have been several notches down from her draw, but when you see the psychologically harrowing sex scenes (not always for the sex, but for the right before and right after) you realize why someone would be interested in such intimate work. As the film slightly overextends itself to reach it's climax which sort of dumbs down it's poignant theme, the performances and overall taste left are nonetheless real and life affirming despite all of it's muddied ramifications.

It's so unfair that great movies like this one are the ones that nobody heard off. Here in Portugal was one of the underdogs in theaters, for great pity of mine. If you have the idea that Penelope Cruz is just a pretty woman that lost her talent when began working in the USA, you're wrong. We can see a real actress in this movie, we can see what she can really do. It's a beautiful drama story, with simple characters, where a man, a doctor with a nice social position, married and supposily happy meets the woman of his life in the ugly, poor and incredibly sad Italia ( Penelope crux). All I can say is please watch it because it's just brilliant.

Note: Penélope Cruz' character Italia is, if at all comparable to Federico Fellinis work the legitimate continuation of Giulietta Masina's character Cabiria from "Le Notti di Cabiria", not Gelsomina from "La Strada".

Having said this I will briefly add this comment to mention that "Non ti muovere" is one of the two best films I have seen so far.

So another comment in favor of Castellito's amazing piece work.

Make up your own mind. In response to some of the other comments that suggest this is a study in S&M or that many viewers might consider this film "High Art", I say it's neither. It is basically a powerful love-story/soap opera that is beautifully directed, acted and edited and will either leave you cold and furious or emphatic and happy, depending on your sensibility. It's about finding life and in doing so finding something to believe in.

A doctor who has become the world's biggest pragmatist finally encounters a woman who takes away everything he once thought mattered.

It's Italian melodrama in its purest form. For some people this can be very effective, for others purely wasteful. There's nothing in between. But aren't these the movies usually worth seeing the most?

A couple of days ago I watched NON TI MUOVERE on its opening night.

Well, I think that it's a true masterpiece ... gripping, heartfelt, as kudos-deserving as the best-selling novel of the same title upon which it's based, written by Margaret Mazzantini (here she is the co-screenwriter and also appears in a glimpse-like wordless cameo, at the end of the movie), winner of the Strega - one of Italy's main literary prizes - in the year 2002.

The director and male lead Sergio Castellitto - who plays the cowardly ambiguous surgeon Timoteo - is as immense as always. He's also the other co-screenwriter of the movie. He's - above all - author Margaret Mazzantini's husband of many years. His was clearly a true labor of love.

Penélope Cruz is astounding, realistic and yet heartbreaking, enormously moving, totally disappearing into her character, who's a poor, destitute, cheaply dressed and unkempt woman named Italia. She cleans hotel rooms for a living and lives herself in a slum, but has got the purest and noblest of souls ("She's a toad in a miniskirt who teaches the Prince how to love", in actor-director Castellitto's own words).

Comedy actress Claudia Gerini - in her first highly dramatic role as the guy's betrayed wife - is very, very good herself.

Last but not least, the Castellitto-Cruz chemistry is amazingly powerful: much more so, say, than the Cruise-Cruz one in Vanilla Sky, enough said ...!

I cried my eyes out, even though I had read the novel more than once, therefore perfectly knowing the story!

HERE is a movie which I definitely want to watch multiple times.

As for myself, well, after two days I'm still re-living all the marvelous, emotionally intense moments which I enjoyed while watching this movie.

Really nothing in Penélope Cruz's resume will prepare you to what she does here, not even what I think was her best performance before this movie, i.e. Sister Rosa in Pedro Almodovar's ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER ... nothing indeed! Not to mention that she acts here in Italian language, and she commands it perfectly.

Just to get an idea of her greatness in this movie, here are actor-director Sergio Castellitto's words at the press conference for the movie, which took place in Rome on March 9th:

"Penélope is heartbreaking, she's as great as [Federico Fellini's wife] Giulietta Masina [in the movie La Strada], what she did for this movie is amazing: a lesson of humbleness, passion and courage. But beware! Her act of courage is NOT the fact that she became ugly, this is a silly thing which you use to read everywhere, but it's wrong; to become ugly for a movie, for an actress like her, who then comes back to her natural beauty, is actually a privilege. Her act of courage, instead, was how she succeeded in building her character's misery: she got on this horse and she did ride on it, without any radar equipment, with a total faith, asking just for one thing: 'I want to act with my own voice, at any cost'. And since I'm an actor myself, I just take a bow in front of a person who tells me: 'nobody will touch my own voice'. Anyway, did you hear her? Did you hear how good she is? She gave a true diction lesson to so many, many Italian actresses ".

And what about Sergio Castellitto himself? This extremely charming and intelligent man has been an acting God for more than twenty years here in Italy; he's an uncanny mix of subdued and brainy acting, total sincerity, powerful emotions in display, instant ability to deeply inhabit any character ... and despite his 50 years of age (he's 20 years older than Penélope), they are absolutely MORE than believable as a mismatched couple of lovers who're overwhelmed and bewildered by a passion which they can't explain, not even to themselves. Like I said above, they share a burning-hot chemistry, which is not only a sexual one but a sentimental one as well.

Moreover, I honestly think that I had never seen in ages such a faithful literary screen adaptation: the novel blends into the movie and vice versa. The one takes new life and new breath from the other.

The opening sequence in the rain, shot from a great height (I'd say that's the same technique of the opening scene in Vanilla Sky), is stunning ... and from there on, the movie flows easily, always vividly and painfully alive, with no lazy moment, at no slow pace, even though it mainly relies upon a subtle psychological analysis of the characters, with those glances, those conversations, those all-important small gestures, those confrontations, those deep feelings in display ...

I hope that this movie will be adequately distributed in the U.S. also. All those involved in it truly deserve to get a wide recognition for their excellent work.

The film is almost surreal. It is difficult to imagine a genuine romance arising out of a rape scene. But the film hints - leaving the viewer to decide for one's self - that Italia's abusive childhood made her desperate for love - any love. Similarly, Tino's hate for his father may have been a factor in his becoming the dissolute adult he is.

It is significant that Tino's wife, with whom he has fallen out of love, is an attractive, affectionate, professionally successful woman. Italia, his mistress is plain looking and older than her years.

We have to suspect that wife suspects. Yet Tino's frequent, prolonged and unexplained absences are simply glossed over. This sort of simplifies things, but it is rather difficult for the viewer to accept.

While waiting for the brain surgery of his daughter Angela, victim of a motorcycle accident, the surgeon Timoteo (Sergio Castellitto) recalls his torrid affair with and passion for Italia (Penélope Cruz), a simple woman from slums in the periphery of the big city where he lives.

When I bought the DVD "Non ti Muovere", I was expecting to see an above average dramatic romance. I felt attracted by name of Penélope Cruz in the credits and the good references in IMDb, but my best expectations were superseded. "Non ti Muovere" is a very intense low budget movie, a precious gem to be discovered by movie lovers, with a touching and sad love story that recalled me Fellini's "Le Notti di Cabiria": There are two points very similar in these films: the character of the lonely and simple Italia, who works cleaning hotels, and recalled me the prostitute Cabiria; and the very poor isolated location in the slums where both characters (Italia and Cabiria) live. "Non ti Muovere" is more erotic, but both stories are centered in the humble female lead character. Penélope Cruz is awesome, with a stunning and heartbreaking performance of an abused woman with no possessions. She really deserved a nomination to the Oscar for such a wonderful acting. I do not follow the work of the practically unknown (to me) Sergio Castellitto, but his direction and performance in this film are outstanding. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Não se Mova" ("Do not Move")

Watching this movie I couldn't stop thinking of a great Italian novel, "Un amore" (probably translated in English as "A love") by Dino Buzzati. Both treat the subject of an impossible love, but Buzzati's is much more concrete and much better. "Non ti muovere" lacks psychological insight, the characters seem too void, the relationships between them don't have that something that would make them seem real.It's very possible that one simply doesn't get it. This could and should have been an interesting depiction of a middle-age crisis, of a person who just doesn't fit in the picture that it's his life, but instead it's a seemingly meaningless love story, with an unaesthetic Penelope Cruz, who, unfortunately for her is no great actress.

I loved the film, its 'fellinesque' atmosphere and characters. It is lyrical, dramatic, realistic and poetic... It represents a mixture of real and surreal elements, of personal and social issues. Castellitto topped his performance in the "L'uomo delle stelle". His talent as an actor and a director shines through this film. Unbelievable performance also by Cruz, who picked up on the new wave of Hollywood actresses playing unattractive women (Kidman, Theron). I was pleasantly surprised by it! What a break from Hollywood! No doubt this film deserves all the prizes there are to win. Overall, it is a classic which I will watch and re-watch again and again - there is so much more than one can see at the first viewing. Thank you, Sergio!

A doctor whose daughter is been operated as a matter of life or death begins to remember an old love affair that ended tragically. I'm sure that the feminist ones won't be very happy about the way this doctor met his lover (Penélope Cruz): he just rapes her. Is it possible to begin a relationship that way? Well, ask Mr. Castellito.

"Non te muovere" is a big flash-back that it would look more like a melodramatic serial if it wasn't for the fact that Castellito filmed it in an elegant way and with a steady hand. The truth is that this is the first decent movie that Penélope Cruz took part in since she (who knows why) became a Hollywood star. I've never liked her, but he does a good job in this movie (maybe she's a little bit vulgar, but that's something usual about her). Castellito plays the main role and directs the movie, and he proves he's a nice actor.

So, if this is the best that Italian cinema can offer, then their situation is quite the same than here in Spain.

*My rate: 6/10

By far the best movie I've seen in a long time. It gave me the definite urge to scream at everybody in the movie theater to leave so I can be all alone and feel this movie at the intensity it deserves. A gripping story, played with passion by Penelope Cruz. If you've ever been in love you must see this movie. I fell in love with it.

The story is entirely simple: a man falls in love with an Albanian girl, ugly, entirely the opposite of his beautiful middle class perfect wife. The love story unfolds in a very realistic manner, with close ups of earth-moving love making; blood, sweat and tears included.

The perspective is rough, but extremely sensual. There are signs and lines in this movie that you will have flashbacks on for quite a while.

A groundbreaking and agonizing Italian modern cinema movie, which apparently caused some controversy due to its violent rape scene. Not a huge fan of Penelope Cruz, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how well she fit in with the character. As a director, Castellitto has done an exceptional job in managing to turn a somewhat unrealistic scenario into a truly down-to-earth passionate story. I am sure that his wife and co-director Mazzantini shares much of that credit. I thought the the last scene could have been developed better as it seemed to indicate a typical old-school Italian ending. It was interesting to note the dazed look on the faces of many people in the audience once the movie was over.

No. This Sergio Castellitto movie is rather inmature and only average as melodrama. But Penelope Cruz saves it, being white trash in rags but in Italian fashion.

Her name is Italia by the way. That's only one of the symbolism which are just too obvious here. So is her red shoe, which is preserved by her lover, so is her equal relation to her dog...the only equal relation she has and so on...

This doesn't concern you at all and Sergio Castellitto as the lover goes through the movie with only 3/4 look in his face. That's too little if you want to be regarded as an actor. And the rape scenes? Not much to talk about. They are nothing, compared to "Irreversible". Don't be afraid to watch this, unless you dislike bad scripts.

It has been a couple of days since i first watched the movie, and believe me or not, i saw it twice. The first time I was alone and its effect was so strong that I would have Italia (Penelope) in my mind all the time.

Yes, they made her ugly, but it needs more than being ugly and kitsch so as to be convincing in a role. And she did it, she did it in a natural way that lead the movie unfold like Real Life. Great performance that i will keep in my mind for a long time...

The script, the cast ,as swell as the inventive direction, the lighting and the colors were brilliant. It made possible for the viewer to experience great emotions of the movie's heroes and to be placed right in the heart of a really shocking story. It wasn't a happy movie, neither was it a movie that tried to moralize in the frame of a cynic world. It was a breathtaking, tragic story, but at the same time it gave away an optimistic vision. This combination conduced to a truly beautiful story. The movie was in total a unity of well connected elements, elements for making the movie unforgettable in my mind! Thanks to Sergio and Penelope!

Cruz is never less than fascinating as the witless, kind, determined Italia. As in Monster (Charlize Theron), part of the fun comes from watching a celebrity actress become almost unrecognisable. With her badly-applied mascara, trailer-trash blonde highlights, sluttish mini skirts and thrift-shop synthetic tops, with her stiff, bandy-legged high-heel waddle and her rag doll floppiness when passion threatens, she is an entirely believable denizen of the urban and social borderlands. The film is a triumph, and it would have been interesting to see if Penelope Cruz would have beaten the other Oscar nominess had the film been release in the USA last year.

It's great to be back to my rental run. Now it's the turn of my favorite Spanish actress Penélope but as i have watched a lot of her movies, this would be quick. I never understand European cinema because we never heard about it in France, except the blockbuster ones. So it's only because i have thoroughly checked her filmography that I pick this one. It's about a cheating husband and it's not the only movie that Penélope did in that field. The movie illustrates clearly why it happens : just because the cheater (whose i saw younger in « Le Grand Bleu ») has better life with his new lover than with his wife, who is a look alike of Sienna Miller. For sure, after it's the usual dilemma as this cheater fails to choose and act morally. It's hard to understand why he falls for Pénelope as she has really nothing for her : no happy past, no future, almost jobless and living in a ruin. Anyway, it's only because she is that lost soul with a heart and smile of a princess that Pénelope is really exceptional ! So the movie is sometimes a bit long, needlessly too erotic but at the end, it has a real story, moving moments, it made us alert with its Italian background and it's finally an excellent recommendation and her best Italian movie!

Timoteo (Sergio Castellitto, who also directed) plays a surgeon whose car breaks down in a working class neighborhood of a great Italian city. Italia (Penelope Cruz) is a denizen of this part of town who lets Timoteo use her phone. She works as a cleaner of hotel rooms. She is crude, a little desperate, uneducated and so passive that she more or less allows Timoteo to rape her, a rape that she experiences without emotion, as something that society perhaps has taught her to accept as her due. Timoteo comes back a day or two later to apologize. He says he was drunk. He had drunk two vials of cold vodka while waiting for a mechanic to fix his car.

Italia sniffs at this privileged man who took advantage of her. There is nothing she can do. Her word against his. Just move on and forget it. But part of her is wondering if there is more to his interest than the quick gratification of lust.

He takes her again, this time though, it is clear that his passion is especially for her. It is something about her that turns him into a sexual beast, and not just the fact that she is a woman who cannot complain. It is interesting to note that when he returns and catches her carrying groceries home, she looks at him with some inquiry on her face, nothing more, no anger, no recriminations, no judgments. When he apologizes and says he was drunk, she swiftly picks up her groceries and turns away. She was looking for something deeper from him. She wants the reason that he raped her to be NOT that he was drunk but that he was so drawn to her that he couldn't help himself.

It is during the third scene a few days later that she accepts his passion for her and finds some of her own. And it is after this third scene as she serves him spaghetti that he realizes that he loves her. The moment comes when he reaches for the bottle of beer on the table at the same time she reaches to pour it for him. They accidentally tip the bottle over, spilling the beer onto the table and floor, and their hands meet. He holds her index finger in his hand for a moment, and it is at that moment that he knows he loves her. And she sees it in his eyes.

All of this is shown in flashback as Timoteo awaits the fate of his daughter who has suffered a massive head injury from a motorcycle accident and lies in a coma in his hospital. His meeting with Italia took place some fifteen years previously, or I should say it was a relatively brief but ultra passionate love affair that ended fifteen years in the past at the time his daughter, from the womb of his wife, Elsa (Claudia Gerini), was born. It was his passion for Italia that spilled over into Elsa that brought about the conception. Ironically--and this is part of the terrible tragedy of this story--Italia too becomes pregnant at nearly the same time. What Timoteo does not realize until it is too late is the depth of feeling that Italia comes to have for him. This is a love affair that, to quote the words of LA Times film critic Kevin Thomas, "makes most of today's screen romances seem undernourished by comparison." Penelope Cruz's performance is nothing short of spectacular. I invite the reader to view the special feature on the DVD in which she discusses her character with Castellitto. Here we can see the incredible passion and attention to detail that Cruz brings to her performance, and also that of Castellitto, who is outstanding both as an actor and a director. Cruz, whose first language is Spanish, must become this noble wretch of desperate woman who must speak Italian with a street accent and behave in way that belies her great beauty and the fine finish of her own character. It is a shame that most Americans only know Cruz from some television commercials and being Tom Cruise's ex. Penelope Cruz is without question--and she proves it in this deeply moving performance--to be one of the finest actresses working today.

A couple of other points. Elsa knows of course that her husband had fallen in love with someone else. She can sense it in the new passion he brings to making love to her. She can deduce it in his absences from her and from the change in his manner. But she never says a word. That is interesting. Perhaps she knows it will pass. And it does, but not before Timoteo performs a "marriage ceremony" at a hotel restaurant near the place of Italia's birth with Italia, and with the "reheated soup" and the wine and cheese as witnesses, and not before he fantasizes aloud with her of leaving his wife and newborn child and going to some far off place with her alone. Only tragedy, it would appear, prevents his leaving Elsa for the love of his life.

But time does heal this wound to their marriage, as Timoteo prays that time will heal his daughter. And the passion of yesteryear perhaps is the more glorious because, like a portrait, it does not age. And perhaps there is some solace in knowing that the love that one finds in a wife and a life's companion is different than that found in a fiery mania of long ago, but taken in total, no less deeply felt.

(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)

Timoteo is a successful surgeon and at the hospital one day his daughter comes for surgery right after suffering a motorcycle accident. He is married and has a beautiful wife but she doesn't want to have a baby because she is not ready. Timoteo is helped by a woman from a poor neighborhood and let him into her house to make a phone call, but he take advantage of her and has many adventures with her until he begins to fall in love with her and is willing to give up his wife and devote totally to her. Chance makes that his mistress remains pregnant but makes abortion and his wife also remains pregnant and now finds himself in a very difficult situation for he will have to choose between the two women.

It's a good drama with a difficult role for Penelope Cruz but here show us that she is a great class actress and she is talented enough to be able to enter into character.

The Director who also plays the main character gives evidence of a extraordinary talent because he manages to combine love with tragedy and done so well that this film is impossible not to move you.