Andrea Pallaoro’s film, “The Echo Chamber,” starring Luca Marinelli and Alicia Vikander, unfolds almost entirely within a luxurious London flat. The film, based on a screenplay begun by Bernardo Bertolucci before his death in 2018, centers on a tentative romance between a doctor, Anne, and a music producer, Leonardo, who suffers from chronic lower back pain.
The film’s setting is described as high-ceilinged, light-filled, and book-lined, complete with a reading nook, a large sofa, a sound system, and a grand piano. According to a review, the apartment’s opulence is central to the story, suggesting that one’s living space is an extension of their identity, particularly for someone with a successful and creative life like Leonardo. As Anne tells Leonardo, “I really like your apartment. There’s so many interesting things to look at,” signaling the beginning of their relationship.
Susan Sarandon appears in the film as a singing icon Leonardo has convinced to record a new album. While the film is visually striking, shot in Academy-ratio frames by Diego Garcia, and directed with sensitivity, the review notes that it doesn’t fully explore the inner lives of its characters beyond their relationship. The film’s constraints, the review suggests, stem from this limited exploration, rather than the single-location setting itself. Despite attractive performances from Vikander and Marinelli, the film ultimately fails to ignite the imagination beyond the confines of the apartment, even with its additional spaces like a workspace, bedroom, and bathroom. The review criticizes an “unnecessary eleventh-hour swerve into melodrama” and finds the film overstretched at over two hours in length.
Read the original coverage
💬 Comments
📜 Comment Policy