James Ivory

Occupation

Filmmaker

Call Me By Your Name Review

Extraordinary

Set in northern Italy in the summer of 1983, this internationally flavoured drama is a gorgeously nostalgic coming-of-age story that gets deep under the skin. With a career-best performance from Armie Hammer, the film is packed with complex characters and finely observed moments that have huge emotional resonance. And while the central story hinges on sexuality, it's actually about finding the courage to express our feelings.

Hammer stars as Oliver, an American in Italy for his summer internship with author Perlman (Michael Stuhlbarg) and his artistic wife Annella (Amira Casar). And he has an immediate connection with their 17-year-old son Elio (Timothee Chalamet), a smart, inquisitive young man who is initially wary of Oliver's brash American attitudes, then slowly develops a crush on him. Even more terrifying, Oliver seems to feel the same way. But Elio has a girlfriend (Esther Garrel), whose best friend Chiara (Victoire Du Bois) catches Oliver's eye. And as they spend the summer studying, eating, drinking and roaming the beautiful countryside, Elio and Oliver begin to admit their mutual attraction.

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