NEVER AGAIN AS BEFORE
**** out of *****

Reviewed by Mike Cavanaugh

Screening in the 12th Cathay Pacific Italian Film Festival
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Genres
Drama

2005
Directed by
Giacomo Campiotti
Written by
Aleksandr Adabashyan
Giacomo Campiotti
Cast
Natalia Piatti     ...     Martina
Marco Velluti    ...     Lorenzo
Federico Battilocchio    ...     Cesare detto 'Fava'
Nicola 'Max' Cipolla    ...     Max
Laura Chiatti    ...     Giulia
Marco Casu    ...     Enrico
Emanuela Grimalda    ...     Madre di Martina
Pino Quartullo    ...     Padre di Lorenzo
Mariella Valentini    ...     Madre di Giulia
Lidia Broccolino    ...     Madre di Max
Marco Gambino    ...     Padre di Max
Francesco Salvi    ...     Padre di Enrico

Not having read too much about Never Again as Before beyond the film’s synopsis, I wasn’t expecting too much.  Read it for yourself:

      The story of a group of naïve eighteen year olds whose vacation in the wild provides the opportunity for them to grow as individuals and discover the truth about friendship.

      Despite five years together in the same classroom, Giulia, Martina, Fava, Lorenzo, Enrico and Max aren’t very close, but in a sort of right of passage they decide to have a post-exams adventure together in the Dolomite mountains.

      Here, in the middle of this beautiful but harsh environment, is where the young people will begin taking responsibility for themselves as well as for others; they must start making decisions and show the determination to face all they encounter. They will discover pain, solitude and freedom that the world of adults and formal education cannot give.

      It will be the mountains that will make them change and grow: when they return to the city, they will not be the same as before.

How wrong was I to pre-judge.  Never Again as Before is unexpectedly good.  The first half is well beyond the ‘coming-of-age’ story I anticipated, having depth laughter and beauty.  The second half is glaringly different: powerful, moving, and thoughtful.  I won’t, and shouldn’t, go into details regarding the story, it’s something you need to see unfold for yourself.

There are some details I can share though.  Enrico is planning a trip to the Dolomite Mountains with his wheelchair-bound friend Max.  Lorenzo, Giulia, Martina and Fava all find their own way of tagging along.  They are an unlikely bunch, but they do open up and discover more about each other and themselves.  The banter between part-friends part-strangers is often extremely funny and heart warming.

My only concern with the film is the transition from the first half into the second.  It is meant to be a jolt, to stir, but for a time after it still seems stilted and sometimes forced.  That’s the only reason I haven’t given Never Again as Before a full five stars. It may be that my insubstantial Italian and reliance on subtitles meant I lost some of the fluidity, but I’m not to know if that was the case.

Otherwise, Never Again as Before is a marvel.  It is an unexpectedly good film that looks superb, and showcases the quality of young talent coming out of Italy.  This is one I would definitely watch again.

Please refer to the Italian Film Festival homepage for the fesatival for more information