Searching for Love and Money in ‘My Brilliant Friend’

". . . the only instance where I thought the voice over narrative actually added something . . . " For a reader who has seen the episodes being discussed here, this article itself adds almost nothing but misstatement and confusion. The video speaks for itself. It can't be translated effectively by discussions like this. All 8 episodes of Season 1 were majestic. If you want to know about it, watch the show.

A significant quality of the voiceover narration is that it is in Italian. Most of the scenes are in dialect with the exception of the classroom and library scenes. This is extremely important. Lenu's adult self does not speak dialect, she speaks an educated Italian. She has a certain distance on her past and she doesn't. The only other film I can think of that deals with dialect vs Italian so directly is the difficult and shimmering "Padre Padrone" by the Taviani Brothers.

Lenù's clothes were wonderfully awful, clearly hand-sewn (look at the crooked topstitching on her bathing suit) and dowdy. The costume department did a terrific job. I've never read the books, but thought that Nino seemed like an attractive, bright, young boy, not just the best Lenù can do at the moment. At first, he seems to be full of teenaged rebellion and too quick to judge adults; by the end of the episode, we learn how astute was his observation about his father. There's nothing creepy about him saying he wanted to be engaged to both Lenù and Lila: he thought that as a little kid. Lenù's jealousy, however, is amusing. The penultimate scene was horrifying. The HBO summary hint was a little too heavy-handed and I spent the entire episode anxiously waiting to see what kind of assault would occur. I love the voice over narration.

There were so many wonderful moments in episode six. Lenu comes to life in Ischia. She swims in the sea, her skin takes on a healthy glow, her hair is loose and lighter, she is appreciated by the families she serves. She smiles and laughs. She writes Lila letter after letter with no replies until just one letter comes from Lila that is amazingly perceptive. Lila is talented. Then Lenu falls in love with Nino and is violated by his father Donato Sarratore. She leaves her Ischia a different person.

I am loving the intensity of the characters, the beauty of southern Italy, the Italian faces, soul and spirit. The series has truly been created artistically with love while staying true to Ferrante's book. One feels the anguish of the characters, their friendships and pain. I cried for Elena when her innocence was violated by that horrid man. I hope that HBO gets positive feedback to continue the production. Thank you for your commentary.