*Warning* This is most likely the only negative review of a movie that Luigi Lo Cascio is in that you will ever find on this blog, but eccolo qua! Scusa Luigi, il film è terribile e non ci piove!
In Mare Nero (Dark Sea) police inspector Luca Moccia (Luigi Lo Cascio), in a new relationship with beautiful, French Veronica (Anna Mouglalis) finds himself in the middle of a lurid murder case involving a young student found naked and sexually battered. In pursuit of the killer, Luca starts frequenting strip clubs and hang-outs for swingers, doing “research” (*cough* OK, whatever). I guess it’s just an occupational hazard; investigate a sexually motivated crime and the kinky just might rub off on you a little.
Directed by Roberta Torre, I might have expected something better; I loved Angela, the true story about a mob boss wife starring Donatella Finocchiaro. But while I suppose she was shooting for something hot and provocative what she managed to produce was awkward and nebulous. If we were meant to experience Luca’s transformation from a normal, boyfriendy working guy to a slimy pervert, Torre should have eased us into it. Instead, the first time Luca decides to investigate the club that the murdered girl had worked at and his partner asks, “Want me to come with?”, Luca says, “Naaaah, I got it covered.” (Translation: I wouldn’t be able to ogle the girls and slobber all over them if you came along.)
When this all started Veronica had just moved in and I’m sure she hadn’t completely unpacked; I don’t really understand why she didn’t call her friends and ask if she could stay on their couch for a while. If I were her I’d be thinking that I might have just moved in with an axe murderer or something.
Luigi Lo Cascio is such a good actor, he’s my favorite, and I can only suppose that the direction was so unclear and so preposterous that he just didn’t even know what to do in this role, so I forgive him for the creepy performance.
If you don’t believe me and you want to watch Mare Nero, do so at your own risk. It’s available to watch instantly on Netflix.
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