Tommaso
By Jeffrey M. Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Mature, personal relationship drama won't be for everyone.
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Tommaso
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What's the Story?
Filmmaker TOMMASO (Willem Dafoe) lives in Rome with his younger wife, Nikki (Cristina Chiriac), and their small daughter, Deedee (Anna Ferrara). Tommaso takes Italian language lessons, shops for food, teaches acting classes, goes to AA meetings, and tries to be a good family man. But Nikki, while devoting most of her attention to Deedee, has begun to ignore Tommaso -- or to argue with him. At the playground with Deedee, he spots something that sends him into a spiral. He starts fantasizing about other women, flirts, even kisses one of his students. Will Tommaso ever reconnect with his wife?
Is It Any Good?
An intensely personal drama drawn from the lives of its director and star, this searching, organic, somewhat rambling film may appeal mainly to their fans, but it's a strong effort nonetheless. Tommaso was written and directed by legendary maverick Abel Ferrara, who's been making tough, edgy genre movies since 1979. The star is four-time Oscar nominee Dafoe; this is his fifth feature with Ferrara. Ferrara, meanwhile, cast his own wife and daughter in the film, and the setup seems similar to Ferrara's own life. The character is even trying to find funding for his next movie.
Meanwhile, the acting class and a sequence of Tommaso doing yoga are borrowed from Dafoe's experiences. These things alone don't quite make a movie, but it shows how brave Tommaso really is. Even if it's not a very dynamic movie -- there's no fun, movie-insider material -- it builds a light simmer of suspense with its everyday struggles. Tommaso works hard to control his addictions, resisting his wicked past and reaching toward a clean, good, hopeful future. At the same time, the struggle between a married couple trying to keep their relationship alive after the birth of a child is also vivid and potent. Ferrara can't resist a few signature moments of exploitation and shock, but that only makes the movie even more personal.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Tommaso depicts drug and alcohol use. What's your reaction to secondary characters who drink and/or smoke? How do you think viewers are intended to feel about the characters at the AA meetings who keep fighting to be sober?
How frequently does the movie resort to violence? How strong is the imagery? What effect does it have?
How is sex depicted? What values are imparted?
What does "autobiographical" mean? How close can an artist get to depicting his or her real life in a movie or story?
How do the non-realistic/fantasy scenes in the movie contribute to telling the story? What do they mean, and what do they say about the character?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: September 15, 2020
- Cast: Willem Dafoe , Cristina Chiriac , Anna Ferrara
- Director: Abel Ferrara
- Studios: Kino Lorber , Kino Marquee
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 115 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: July 27, 2022
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