Stealing Beauty movie review- The most beautiful place to be is in love

 Italy, skinny dipping, olive leaves, poetry and kisses under trees. 

Director: Benardo Bertolucci

Writer: Susan Minot

Cinematographer: Darius Khondji

Cast: Liv Tyler, Jeremy Irons, Rachel Weisz

Year: 1996

When she was 15, pretty and youthful Lucy Harmon (an enchanting Liv Tyler) visited the Tuscan town where her mother wooed the local male population with her poetry. Four years later, Lucy returns for some change in scenery due to the aftermath of her mother's death. She plans to reunite with the boy she had once shared her first kiss with, still infatuated with the idea of true love and the themes of her mother's poetry, taking on an adventure of self-discovery. Alex (the wonderful Jeremy Irons) is taken as a sort of father figure and guide through her new journey, taking her on new voyages into some unexpected lessons on love and true identity. Naivety and Innocence are stripped away, and a sexual awakening begins. 

Stealing Beauty is a really beautiful coming-of-age movie which evokes many vibrant and melancholic emotions, a rollercoaster full of questions on identity and the idea of love that runs through the sweeping hills of Italy. This movie is shot perfectly, every frame is pleasing to the eyes, and each colour is detailed and intricately picked. This movie was made with love, its greatest theme and motif, and its driving force. This is not a cliche romance movie, although it does includes a few tropes; each is executed originally. Love can be fun, and it can be serious. Love comes in many shapes and forms and from the people you least expect.  The female body is celebrated in this movie due to the many wooden sculptures Ian (Donal McCann) creates, which are showcased throughout many scenes. Art is another main focal point; art in many different mediums: painting, sculpting, and poetry, is the heartbeat of this movie. Liv Tyler's performance is astounding. She fits this role perfectly and plays it wonderfully. I've never felt so connected to a character until this performance. Lasting for 1hr 59m, some may feel that the movie drags, but I believe each scene chosen and cut together deserves to be seen on the silver screen; visually stunning cinematography and editing make it impossible to take your eyes off of the screen. I really wish more people would see this movie. This movie does everything right. No, it's not a rom-com or a cheap Hollywood creation about unfulfilled ideals and scenarios connected to love; it's a homage to Italy, a homage to young love and its innocence. Poetic dialogue and seamlessly perfect characters add even more to this coming-of-age movie. 

Bertolucci is a master at evoking emotions and creating exuberant scenery. He is a wonderful storyteller, with his and Minot's poetry sewn between every single scene. Stealing Beauty, in my opinion, is one of his best creations, taking everything from the sweetest point of the heart and displaying it on screen. How I wish to be transported to Italy and fall in love, this movie has pulled out desires within me I had no idea I had. I wish this movie was longer. When it ended, I wanted more; I wanted to see more of the life and the love between these characters; instead, I'm left guessing, left with questions about their futures, and left with a new perspective on love. I've never re-watched a movie more than I have with this one. The soundtrack is also amazing, with hand-picked songs which fit perfectly into each scene. I'd highly recommend listening to Portishead's "Glory Box" and Mazzy stars "Rhymes of an hour", which both feature in the film and both give off the exact atmosphere the film does. Although it is extremely hard to find on any streaming services, I recommend just buying the DVD as it's worth the money and the abundance of re-watches. This movie benefits from the outstanding performances of its ensemble cast. The chemistry between Liv Tyler and Ignazio Oliva is sparkling. It's good to see Jeremy Irons away from his usual characters; he was marvellous in each scene, bringing depth to a character who could have been easily forgotten. Each character demands your attention. I have to applaud Liv Tyler once again as I feel that she is completely underrated, a forgotten gem whose performance I absolutely adored. I don't believe anyone else could have captured the mannerisms, poetry and intricacies of this character. She knows what the camera wants from her, and she executes each scene with precision. 

If you feel like you're at a point in your life where you feel a little uncertain of what you want or who you want to be, I strongly recommend this movie. It really opened my eyes and made me rethink my whole mindset on love. I was influenced by the manufactured emotions created by Jennifer Aniston Rom-Coms, and Disney's unattainable ideals shoved down my throat from a child watching Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella saved by a man. Bertolucci takes a mature look at young love, giving it some reality and its own flaws, showing us that nothing is perfect, not even love. Lucy is a strong female character holding the same desire for love/ a partner as the rest of the female population. Nothing is created to the extremities. Bertolucci taps into the young female mind and translates it perfectly onto the screen. Stealing Beauty is an unforgettable movie that I'll always pick up and put on to watch. Rainy day material, for sure. 

Rating: 5/5 

Favourite quotes: 

“There is not love. There's only proof of love.”

“Why are you crying?”

“Because I want to kiss you”

“Love. That's not a word that I use.”

“The dye is cast, the dice are rolled, I feel like shit, you look like gold”