Anime nere (Black Souls)

Dir: Francesco Munzi

2014

****

Anime nere (Black Souls) is a solemn and authentic look at the altogether unglamorous life as a gangster and member of a mafia family – people who would never use either word to describe themselves. Director Francesco Munzi shows us the simple history of such a family and how it is structured, full of complexity, a mixture of tradition, conflict and contradiction. Be wary of the stories you tell your children, you may be surprised by their ambitions. Forget what you’ve seen in most ‘gangster’ or ‘mafia’ films though, Black Souls deals with a respected family with a history of looking after its own, as many did in a post-war Italy. Some families prospered more than others and in small towns a family name can represent something and command respect, even if said family aren’t as prolific as they once were. The family in question in Black Souls are somewhat split, with the eldest of three brothers continuing to shepherd his flock of goats, while his two younger brothers work in the City drug dealing – the face and muscle and the other the brains. The two in the city deal with the addition of new crime bosses and see the loss of former allies. Back at the family home in the country, another family also seems hell-bent on taking over. The shepherd’s son makes a choice to follow his uncle’s path, in a youth-fuelled delusion of honour. All the while the eldest son, who should be seen as the head of the family, quietly protests the advancement of his own family, knowing full well the dangers it could lead to. The realism of the story and characters add a great deal of depth to the turn of events and Munzi delivers a slow-burning piece that explodes suddenly after sizzling quietly. The performances are intense and the visuals are rich in colour and darkness. It’s a very different look at the rise of power, shown from the unique angle of the traditionalists about to implode. The family follow the old code, a dying breed who mix sentiment and business, fatally bound and unable to keep up with the current underworld. It’s strangely sad really, as much as I dislike criminal behaviour, there was something nice about honour among thieves and sometimes no matter the tradition, it’s sometimes sad to see them go, especially when they are replaced by something far more sinister and deplorable. For me the film is all about respect, what it means to some, how it can become a way of life and just how ridiculous and manipulative it can be. The film itself is dripping in symbolism, in fact, it wasn’t until it was over did I realise just how much meaning the minor details actually carried, indeed, absolutely nothing is wasted and everything is intentional, which is unexpected for a film that has such a slow pace. The conclusion is as bold as it is dark, as the final act of progression is the end of a cycle. It’s a gut-wrenching ending but tremendously applaudable. Like the entire film, it is completely contradictory but this time the contradiction works as a final solution to the families ongoing problems. It’s a phenomenal ending, often compared to that of 2008’s Gomorrah but for me it surpasses it. I loved the way it explores tradition, how traditions are often destroyed by people trying too hard to uphold them. The Godfather, Scarface and Goodfellas are great fantasy gangster films but Black Souls show the real criminals for what they are; not very smart, full of great and with, as the title suggests, black souls. Ugly, beautiful, profound and rewarding. Probably the most original ‘gangster’ film ever made when you think about it, everything else – as good as it might be – is in reality just more of the same.