– By Cate Marquis –
Director Luca Guadagnino explores coming-of-age and gay attraction in earlier, less-open times in Italy, in CALL ME BY YOUR NAME. The film is the third in the Italian director’s “Desire” trilogy, following 2009’s I AM LOVE and 2015’s A BIGGER SPLASH. Once again, Guadagnino explores passion in a beautiful Mediterranean setting.
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME takes place in the summer of 1983 in scenic Lombardy, Italy, where 17-year-old American Elio Perlman (French actor Timothee Chalamet). Like all teens, he thinks of the tiny town where his family lives as impossibly dull, even though he and his parents live in a 17th-century villa in an idyllic setting. His archaeology professor father always has a graduate student as a summer intern who lives with them. This year, it is tall, blonde and handsome Oliver (Armie Hammer). Thus begins a summer of discovery and exploration of sexual awakening that changes both their lives.
Gorgeously photographed in sunny Italy, young Elio and handsome Oliver bicycle around the beautiful countryside, visit the seashore to see newly-discovered Greek statues, and explore the quaint town. Mostly, they go swimming, with Elio’s friends or on their own, which gives us a plenty of chances to see beautiful bodies.
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