Original interpretation — not a still from the production
A summer in Lombardy, 1983, where languid days and blossoming affection are scored by classical music and sun-drenched Italian vistas.
The Continental Verdict
Essential
Luca Guadagnino’s "Call Me by Your Name" is not merely a romance, but a meticulous evocation of a particular time and place: the summer of 1983 in Crema, Italy. The narrative follows Elio Perlman, a precocious and introspective teenager, whose world is gently upended by the arrival of Oliver, a charming American doctoral student interning with Elio’s professor father. Their developing intimacy is depicted with a tenderness and authenticity that eschews melodrama, instead allowing the unhurried pace of the Lombardian summer to dictate the rhythm of their burgeoning connection. The film’s strength lies in its profound sense of atmosphere, where the cicada’s hum and the rustle of leaves are as integral to the storytelling as the dialogue itself.
The film’s aesthetic is as compelling as its emotional core. Each frame feels deliberately composed, bathed in the golden light of the Italian countryside, inviting the viewer into a world of intellectual pursuit, sensual discovery, and the bittersweet brevity of first love. It is a work that understands the profound impact of environment on experience, positioning the villa, the village squares, and the natural swimming spots not merely as backdrops, but as silent, complicit characters. "Call Me by Your Name" offers a rare blend of intellectual curiosity and deeply felt emotion, concluding not with a definitive resolution, but with the quiet resonance of a memory that will forever shape a young man’s understanding of himself.
Why Watch It
The Gentleman Factor
The gentleman takes from this a masterclass in the evocation of memory and mood; a reminder of the potent influence of landscape and leisure upon personal development, and the enduring elegance of a life lived with intellectual and emotional curiosity. It is a film that rewards repeated, contemplative viewing.
Look Out For
- Sun-drenched Italian villas
- Languid summer days
- Intellectual pursuits
The Locations
Crema and other towns in the Lombardy region, Italy, including Moscazzano, Pandino, and Bergamo.
More from the travel pages →The Cars
A 1980s Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce, a Fiat 124 Spider, and a vintage Peugeot convertible.
More from motoring →The Wardrobe
Timothée Chalamet as Elio: casual polo shirts, unbuttoned shirts, swim shorts, linen trousers, wire-rimmed glasses. Armie Hammer as Oliver: slightly more tailored linen shirts, swim shorts, classic Wayfarers. The wardrobe, designed by Giulia Piersanti, speaks to a relaxed, intellectual European sensibility of the era.
More on style →The Soundtrack
Predominantly classical pieces by Ravel, Bach, and Satie, alongside original songs by Sufjan Stevens.
Into the music room →Watch Next
Where to Watch
Available for streaming on various platforms and Blu-ray.
For the Collection
Also in Riviera Cinema
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