by Mark Demetrius
Worth: $15.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Matilda De Angelis, Stefano Accorsi, Marlon Joubert
Intro:
... dramatically effective, suspenseful and tautly directed ...
Based on a novel by Marco Franzoso, this is a psychological thriller and strictly generic within that — but a well-above-average example of the genre. Matilda De Angelis plays Elisabetta, an extremely capable lawyer from Trieste who has successfully defended a university professor against sexual assault charges. Despite the charges being withdrawn and himself being exonerated and reinstated, Angelo the professor (Stefano Accorsi) contacts her again to file charges against the university.
Whether to take up this request is the very least of Elisabetta’s concerns. She is possibly being stalked anew — or is she? — by her former partner Daniele (Marlon Joubert), who was previously convicted of doing so.
The Lesson is something of a hall of mirrors, in which just about everything may or may not be as it seems, and in which poor Elisabetta’s distress might just be fuelled by paranoia. The net result is deeply disturbing. There are derivative echoes of certain classic thrillers, from Repulsion to Misery, moments of arguable implausibility and familiar tropes such as the heroine staying in rural isolation. But none of this matters too much because it’s all so dramatically effective, suspenseful and tautly directed — and because Angelis is so good in her role. Evocative yet not intrusive soundtrack music and restrained but effective use of close-ups and unusual camera angles help too, as do the muted colours and general ‘look’ of the film — especially the night scenes.
Nothing groundbreaking here then, but there’s enough to recommend it.
