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THE EMBALMER
Directed by: Matteo Garrone.
Produced by: Domenico Procacci.
Written by: Ugo Chiti, Garrone & Massimo Gaudioso.
Director of Photography: Marco Onorato.
Edited by: Marco Spoletini.
Music by: Banda Osiris.
Released by: First Run.
Country of Origin: Italy. 101 min. Not Rated.
With: Ernesto Mahieux, Valerio Foglia Manzillo & Elisabetta Rocchetti.

Based on a true story, this psychological Italian drama begins at a zoo where a dwarfish man, Peppino (Mahieux), follows a strapping young man. He strikes up a conversation, sharing his knowledge of the animal kingdom, and offers his business card. Valerio (“handsome as a God”) sheepishly looks him up and soon quits his waiter job to work, at a much better salary, for the taxidermist Peppino. Soon, the 50-year-old is offering the 20-year-old room and board and even women. Traveling out of town for a grizzly assignment, they are to share the same hotel bed. All is going to plan until Valerio meets Deborah (Rocchetti), a seductive young woman who’s also determined to get her way. Grim and macabre, The Embalmer is compelling due to Peppino’s happy-go-lucky hopefulness. Even as he manipulates Valerio, Peppino remains both sinister and sympathetic thanks to Mahieux’s non-judgmental portrayal. He adds layers of gentleness and false bravado in what could have been a stereotypical role. (Mahieux won a David, Italy's Oscar, for best supporting actor.) It could be said that the villain is actually Valiero, who wants to be taken care of but is afraid to act on his own. He has his suspicions, yet continues to use Peppino to his own advantage. As Valerio, Manzillo, a model in his film debut, delivers a vague and, at times, unfocused performance. Perhaps this is appropriate for the character, but it does dampen the dramatic tension. Clearly, much is improvised, leading to drawn out scenes in which the characters beat around the bush. But filmed in the desolate and deteriorating outskirts of Naples, the location adds to the corrosive atmosphere. Representational issues aside, this dark character study is a fine companion to David Cronenberg’s Spider. Kent Turner
July 18, 2003