Il colore nascosto delle cose (2017)

Directed by: Silvio Soldini | 115 minutes | drama, romance | Actors: Valeria Golino, Adriano Giannini, Arianna Scommegna, Laura Adriani, Anna Ferzetti, Andrea Pennacchi, Beniamino Marcone, Mattia Sbragia, Valentina Carnelutti, Rossana Mortara, Italo Amerighi, Angela J. Ciaburri, Alessandro Minati

What is it with those commercials? Whether their name is Stijn (from ‘A woman comes to the doctor’) or Don Draper (from ‘Mad Men’), they can’t help but throw themselves at every attractive woman that catches their eye. Also Teo, main character of the Italian romantic drama ‘Il colore nascosto delle cose’. Teo already has a girlfriend and a mistress, but as soon as he meets the attractive blind Emma, ​​he realizes that there is still room for a third wife. He is just as unaffected by moral reservations as Stijn or Don.

‘Il colore nascosto delle cose’ is more than the story of a Casanova in a midlife crisis. And more than a story about a disability. The film is about the most beautiful quality a person has: his adaptability. Together with Teo, we admire how Emma leads a very everyday life in her very own way. She works as an osteopath, goes on a hike with a half-blind friend and accompanies (in several ways) the grumpy blind teenager Nadia. By observing Emma, ​​Teo understands how to live a full and mature life.

The way Emma deals with her disability is one of the charms of this film. Another element that keeps us looking is if Teo’s girlfriend and his mistress find out about his escapade with Emma. Fortunately, the drama is never too thick and the actors keep it reasonably cool. The few times that things do get dramatic, such as between Emma and Nadia, it is also about really fundamental matters.

Despite all the good intentions and all the traditional efforts, ‘Il colore nascosto delle cose’ differs too little from similar dramas to make an excessive impression. Moreover, the film is at least half an hour too long. It does give the visitor time to doubt his own eyesight, because of the spontaneously changing image formats. Behind that gimmick is an idea that just captivated us. Just like this movie.