Plot: Irene is a rather cold and heartless woman. When she arrives home late to her own dinner party, her son asks for comfort, but she has no time for him. Later that evening, he tumbles down the stairs. He is taken to the hospital, where Irene tells him that she'll never neglect him again. But it might already be too late.
Watches
May 17, 2025
I'm aware that Italian neorealist cinema isn't my thing, so my expectations were limited when starting this film. The wealthier setting took me by surprise, but that didn't translate into more exuberant cinematic qualities. Europe '51 is quite sober and rigid, not the type of cinema that does it for me.
The plot and drama didn't grab me, the performances were overdone, and the presentation was lackluster. The runtime was also excessive, though that's probably because I did not find anything to like here. It's not the worst of its niche, but it's not a film I'll be remembering for long.