Writer: Gianluca Santoni and Michela Straniero
Director: Gianluca Santoni
An unusual mixture of Whistle Down the Wind and Leon makes My Killer Buddy an off-centre family comedy/drama.
A coastal town in north-eastern Italy between Porto Corsini and Cesenatico conceals secrets. The part of town known as the ‘concrete eyesore’ houses bottom-feeding criminals. In the more prosperous area industrialist Fabio (Andrea Sartoretti) habitually beats his wife Maria (Barbara Ronchi) knowing she will never report him to the authorities.
The abuse is affecting their son Denni (Francesco Lombardo). As is often the case with children made helpless by abuse, he fantasies about fighting back against, and overcoming, bullies. A chance remark by a friend gives him the idea of paying a contract killer to assassinate his abusive father. But his chosen ‘superkiller’ Secco (Andrea Lattanzi) may talk the talk but does not walk the walk. On the only occasion Secco was involved in criminal activity he froze and ran resulting in the arrest and maiming of his brother. Secco has no intention of becoming a killer and hopes to frighten Fabio and possibly steal from his factory, but he has not taken account of Danni’s single-minded determination.
One of the infuriating aspects of abuse for an outside observer is the willingness of victims to forgive their abuser. Director Gianluca Santoni who co-wrote the film with Michela Straniero captures this contradictory attitude with a scene of Maria embracing a lachrymose Fabio after he has broken her wrist.
Director Santoni maintains this contradictory atmosphere throughout the movie. Events must be taking place in the off-season as the coastal town is bleak and under-populated. The soundtrack by Dade is lively, reminiscence of 1980’s teen caper movies. Yet when a caper-style event arises there is a distinctly dark undertone- Danni accidently consumes MDMA and a desperate Secco is forced to babysit the suddenly hyperactive Danni as he shows how to swim using a deserted and vandalised swimming pool.
At times the contradictory approach feels a bit like offering all things to all viewers rather than choosing an option. The conclusion jumps from a dark dramatic tone to a somewhat cute feelgood vibe.
Francesco Lombardo has a disconcertingly intense stare which conveys Danni’s unflinching attitude to life. Typical of the contradictory tone of the movie Lombardo switches from a charmingly gauche youngster asking about the meaning of saucy words at the worse possible moment to a damaged child capable of wrecking his bicycle to support a fabrication.
The relationship between the tiny Lombardo’s Danni and Andrea Lattanzi’s hulking Secco is the emotional focal point of the movie. Lattanzi has a glowering quality, a seething resentment that nothing he does works out as planned. His gradual assumption of the responsibility he has always dodged (he has accepted another man raising his child) is the redemption of the character. Secco’s unwilling evolution into Danni’s big brother (or even father figure) is the most charming part of the movie.
The uneven nature of My Killer Buddy prevents it from being completely satisfactory, but it remains a film which hits the target more often than not.
My Killer Buddy is screening at the Raindance Film Festival runs from 19 – 28 June in London cinemas.
The Reviews Hub Score
A family affair
