June 4, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Call It a Deeply Felt Movie

By Nick Boyd

“Call Me by Your Name,” a gorgeously shot film that takes place in Italy in 1983, is about the growing bond between Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer).

Elio is a 17-year-old American teenager living in Italy with his parents at their villa over the summer. He is very intellectual and gifted, reading high-brow books, playing musical compositions, and conversing in three languages.

One day, a graduate student named Oliver arrives to stay at the Perlman’s villa to do research with Elio’s father, who is a professor of archeology. Soon after his arrival, Elio is drawn to Oliver on a sensual level. A scene outside where Elio is watching Oliver play volleyball reveals the initial stages of what will transform into a mutual attraction. What complicates things is that Elio also has sexual feelings (it seems) for some teenage girls in town, who likewise are attracted to him. His sexual identity fluctuates at times, as he attempts to come to terms with his desires.

Given that their romance is a same-sex one and Oliver is a guest at the Perlman’s residence, Elio and Oliver try to be discreet about their burgeoning relationship. As depicted, the love that they share is tender and not exploitative, despite the age difference. The yearning and affection they feel for each other is palpable. In the quiet moments they are able to have together, they are vulnerable with each other.

The film is leisurely paced and lets the audience soak in the picturesque European backdrop. A summer day in the Italian countryside for these two young lovers is one to cherish and enjoy.

Both Chalamet and Hammer give remarkable performances that are raw and powerful, while Michael Stuhlbarg as Elio’s father, provides an understated performance of warmth and compassion. A speech that Stuhlbarg delivers late in the movie is one of the most emotional and poignant I have heard in recent memory.

When it comes time for the two to part ways at the end of Oliver’s stay, it is apparent just how much their time together has meant for each of them on a deeply emotional level.

The picture, which is in English, Italian, and French, has a subtlety to it in what is left unsaid in characters’ gestures and behaviors. Filled with rich emotional layers, the film captures with much insight what it means to be at emotional crossroads. The ending of the movie, which focuses just on Elio’s face, is heartbreaking, and Chalamet with no dialogue, wonderfully shows what Elio is feeling. One of the best films I have seen in the last year, this is one I will not easily forget.

A still from the beautifully-composed film.
Photo courtesy of “Call Me by Your Name”.
Related Posts

(Video) Some of the Damage Caused By Vandals at Malibu High School Overnight

June 4, 2025

June 4, 2025

40 to 50 people, who are suspected to be students or recent alumni, used eggs, flour, and markers to deface...

Biggest Night of the Year: Don’t Miss GMCLA’s ‘Dancing Queens’

June 3, 2025

June 3, 2025

Culminating its 46th season, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles will grace the crowd with Dancing Queens, celebrating iconic...

Pluto TV and Oscar-Winning Director Sean Baker Team Up to Host Free Weekend Screenings

June 3, 2025

June 3, 2025

Popcorn Challenge Interactive Event Set for Westfield Century City Mall  The historic Gardena Cinema, one of the last single-screen, family-operated...

Former ‘Real Housewives’ Husband Sentenced to Over 7 Years for $15 Million Client Fraud 

June 3, 2025

June 3, 2025

Federal Judge Rejects Plea for Medical Placement, Orders Restitution and Prison Time Disgraced former attorney Tom Girardi was sentenced Tuesday...

Carjacking Suspect Arrested After Police Chase Ends in Crash in Inglewood

June 3, 2025

June 3, 2025

Suspect Was Wanted for an Armed 2023 Carjacking in Culver City Wanted on multiple felony charges stemming from a 2023...

Malibu High Targeted in Overnight Vandalism Spree; Investigation Underway

June 3, 2025

June 3, 2025

Destruction on Campus Prompts Sheriff’s Probe; Students May Face Charges Vandals caused extensive damage to the school property of Malibu...

A Season of Gratitude: After One Year in Business, Urban Jungle Continues Making its Mark

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Over the last year, Urban Jungle, an indoor and tropical plants nursery, has continued its mission to cultivate a place...

The soul’s greatest hits

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

From ‘Ave Maria’ to ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ and ‘Ode to Joy,” a Santa Monica concert raising funds to help fire victims...

LAPD Increases Security at Jewish Sites Following Colorado Flamethrower Attack

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Officials Ramp Up Patrols and Plan Emergency Response as Shavuot Concludes. Security outside Jewish institutions in Los Angeles has been...

The Peabody Awards Celebrate Bold Storytelling and Social Impact at Beverly Hills Gala

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Honorees Including Baby Reindeer, Shōgun, and The Only Doctor at In-Person Ceremony The Peabody Awards held their awards ceremony Sunday...

Chamber Music Palisades Presents an Afternoon of Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, and More

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Brentwood Hosts Free Classical Concert with LA Philharmonic Greats Chamber Music Palisades will present a free community concert on Saturday,...

Massive Fire Engulfs Auto Shop, Shuts Down 10 Freeway Eastbound Lanes

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Explosions, Thick Smoke, and Downed Power Lines Disrupt Traffic in Palms A fast-moving fire broke out Sunday behind a commercial...

Alpine Floor & Home: A Legacy of Quality Since 1968

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Founded in 1968 with a single location, Alpine Floor & Home began as a humble family business with a clear...

Chin Chin to Close West Hollywood Location After 45 Years of Service

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Iconic Sunset Plaza Restaurant Announces Final Day of Operations Chin Chin, the iconic Chinese eatery that has been a fixture...

LACMA’s $700M David Geffen Galleries to Open in 2026

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

New Structure Will Replace Original Midcentury Buildings Construction crews are entering the final stretch on the David Geffen Galleries, a...