Elena Ferrante on Film asks a lot of viewers. The mystery author has an HBO adaptation of work and two classic adaptations hitting Blu-ray thanks to Film Movement. The thing is I can’t tell what makes her work stand apart from anything released in 90s arthouses. The Italian feel is there, but super dialed back from what was considered Euro drama of the period. It’s a lot of murder, mystery and playing around with identity. If it felt old with Fellini, then it’s going to real sour here.
However, I like the feel of the films as it mixes Euro appeal with mainstream push. If you want a one-two punch of the queen of the Neapolitan Quarter, then check it out. Otherwise, play it safe and watch a franchise movie.
