This grim, unimaginatively titled, drama, based on real-life events, has the potential to be darkly and grippingly good but it feel rather short. A high proportion of the film, set in and around a private school in Italy in the mid-70’s (so no mobile phones as key plot devices!)and from the start we were introduced to a wide range of (only male) students. The problem was that the focus moved rapidly from one to another and it was not clear as to on whom we should focus; and because there were such a large number, the amount of time that could be spent in establishing their uniqueness was correspondingly reduced.
However, the society in which the students lived, both at home and in the school, was effectively shown, both being, in different ways, conservative, and one of the strengths of the film was the impact that charismatic individuals, either teachers or fellow students, can have on others. This was the most interesting facet of the film and it would have been better if this particular aspect had been explored in more focused and thoughtful detail. Additionally, hidden aspects of the students’ lives, both at home and at school were explored (to some extent) but again, I felt there was scope for this to be dealt with at greater depth.
It was only in the last part of the film, in the lead-up to the main event and the aftermath, that there was a more detailed focus on individuals – well, the perpetrators, to be honest. However, as they had not been the focus for most of the film, I did not feel that I had learnt, enough about them prior to the crime to be as involved as I might have been. However, the casual, self-centered and unfeeling nature of the boys was a key aspect of what happened and the fact that they suddenly indulged in these acts was, perhaps, reflective to a degree of this aspect of the personalities.
But a darkly salutary tale though –and with a refreshingly casual (read European) attitude to male nudity – i.e. if a male was naked it was obvious and nothing was conveniently hidden by objects or cut off by the camera frame!