1994’s Dear Diary is a fantastic three chapter film directed by Nanni Moretti and starring himself. A wry look at life, Caro Diario (Italian title) is quaint in its presentation, providing an interesting glimpse of Italy from Moretti’s cynical perspective from the back of his Vespa.
You could call it arrogance, or a smart move, but to write, direct and cast yourself in a film you’ve made is perhaps verging on egotistical. Moretti’s humour is dry and often eccentric, much like his character. His friends seem no different, as Moretti travels from Italian island, to Italian island discovering and cementing his cynicism of his beloved country.
Some of the scenes verge on absurd, such as his friend’s decision to wake his own son up since he was a child at 3am in the morning to sleep in the bed with his mother and father. It’s not incestuous in any way, just absurd, and then they invite Moretti and his friend Gerardo to join in too. It’s funny, but in an unrealistic sort of way, and you’re not supposed to take it too seriously.
The first chapter deals with Moretti’s desire to learn to dance, ever since he saw the film Flashdance. I remember that film vaguely, but in a nightmarish way and something I personally won’t admit to having seen, even though I’ve messed up and just admitted it. In any case, Moretti wants to dance, because he loves music, and is frustrated when he can’t.
Along the ride with Moretti on his Vespa, he digresses and converses about the negativity and way in which Italy is going. Where he once consider it beautiful, it is now turning ugly. He hears rumours of downbeat areas, which turn out to be nothing but rumours.
The first chapter is perhaps the freshest and funniest chapter, in particular with Moretti’s brilliant encounters with members of the public. No doubt the clarity and accuracy of reaction is due to scripting, however, it’s film in such a way that it looks as though he’s pestering people randomly. There’s some wonderful characterisation, such as when he shuffles on the platform and sings with the band; eccentric and endearing.
There’s a fantastic dynamic and chemistry between Moretti and Gerardo in the second chapter, when they shift from island to island, so that Moretti can write some material. His friend has not seen television in 30 years, and when he catches sight of one, is immediately and forever addicted. Once quoting that TV is nothing, it’s quite a humourous and ironic turn of events when he can’t stop watching TV and becomes hideously addicted to his soap operas, in particular The Bold and the Beautiful. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or to cry for such tragedy. I myself haven’t watched TV for nearly 2-3 months, God forbid I should ever react that way!
As they travel, the come across equally eccentric characters and people. There’s also some inside jokes no doubt, particularly when it comes to children who answer the phone on one particular island where everyone is a single child. I’ll have to ask my Italian friends whether this is an over exaggeration, or a fair representation of the truth – regardless of the reality of it, it’s very funny as you watch in disbelief and kids holding up the phone line asking the caller to make animal sounds.
The final chapter is the slowest, and perhaps the most pretentious piece. It’s basically about Moretti’s discovery that something is wrong with his body. He visits many doctors, and goes through many treatments none of which seem to actually work. There’s an obvious, if wry, message about the state of doctors and their pretentious egos, for which they listen to more than the patient. There’s nothing new to be said about that, however, as it’s the same with doctor’s the world over (I would give up my NHS doctor for one of Moretti’s any day of the week).
There’s a lot less humour, and it’s much more deadpan than the previous two chapters. At times, the film drags on a bit, and I admit I did start to close my eyes at times. As it is I haven’t slept for about a day and a half, and not eaten for three, so it wasn’t that I was lacking energy; the film seems to dwell on Moretti’s self preservation and lack of help from doctors; it feel repetitious and unnecessary at times, as though he’s purposely dragging the viewer along in his own suffering. Still, for most of the third chapter, it’s actually enjoyable. I liked the dictation followed by action of what he just dictated, done in sort of real-time flashback manner.
Direction varies in all three chapters. In the first, the cinematography is absolutely wonderful; even the bland, block like buildings bring something to the fore. The humour is carefully managed, pity the poor journalist, and there are some delightfully abstract scenes throughout, the direction is pretty tight and solid throughout. The second chapter focuses more on humour than and is more about the inhabitants. It’s entertaining, but I think direction is lacking at points, and perhaps over emphasised at points.
The least creatively directed piece is chapter three, and unfortunately, I revert to my previous statement that it comes across as far too pretentious and self satisfying sometimes. There’s far too much pity and “Woe is me” in there to really make it enjoyable. You end up hating Moretti on occasion, unlike the first two chapters, as he falls into such a state of dullness that there is no character left. I would have liked to see more life, and more of the first two Moretti’s. It’s not serious, it’s just a bit dull, and rather shallow in it’s handling of the topic of serious health issues.
On the whole, the film is great for two thirds, but seems to run out of steam at the end. There was a slightly unsatisfying taste in my mouth when I finished watching it. It felt flat and dead by the time the credits rolled, and felt a touch disappointed, but overall pleased.
However, I do like Moretti; his quirkiness and eccentricity is really lovable, and certainly reminds me of Woody Allen. The same timid nature in his approach to people, the uncertainty in his thoughts, the direction and writing; they all seem very familiar, and I don’t think that’s too far from the truth. I think it’s a shame the final chapter seems to focus and serve Moretti’s ego a little too much, but it’s still quite amusing if perhaps too dry..
Verdict: An enjoyable, quirky comical drama about life through the eyes of an eccentric, 40 year old Italian