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Parents' Guide to

Martin Eden

By Stefan Pape, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Historical romantic drama explores class structure in Italy.

Movie NR 2020 129 minutes
Martin Eden Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

age 14+

A romantic and challenging adaptation of London's novel

Touching movie where Marinelli leading role delivers a nice first half that all kids may enjoy. The second part is more complex, just keep an eye on some strong political debates or the effects of disillusion/drinking problems on Marinelli's behavior.

This title has:

Great role models

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This is a fantastic piece of modern cinema, masterfully crafted by director Pietro Marcello. This timeless tale of a man on an unwavering pursuit of self-education to transcend his humble roots and enter into the bourgeoisie, offers a fascinating look into class culture. Martin Eden works well because of its central protagonist, who realizes as he rises, that those he aspired to be are actually as flawed as anybody else. It's a nuanced character and brought to life emphatically by the brilliant Marinelli, in one of the stand-out performances of the year.

The look of the film must be commended too. By taking Jack London's 1909 story, and resetting it in 20th century Naples, Marcello is able to showcase the beauty of his native Italy while also capturing a bygone age. Clearly influenced by Italian New Wave cinema, Martin Eden deserves to sit amongst the greats that inspired it.

Movie Details

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