Written on 07. October 2017 by Biboz

The Black Widow (2005) (European Title) also known as Before It had A Name (US title). Not bad at all! Given that the acting duo were really a couple at the time of filming (I don’t know if they still are!), the sex scenes are very realistic. Are they real? Yes, they certainly are! But this isn’t Willem’s first try. Is this a film that should be X-rated? Over the last twenty years or so, it’s become almost customary to see real sex scenes in a normal film. Not for the general public, but rather for a discerning audience looking for a gripping, sensual and ultimately rather sad story. I’ll do some research. I’ll dig a little deeper for my review for those interested.

It’s an unusual thriller! Yes, a rather unusual thriller, not to be confused with the 1987 homicide thriller of Black Widow (directed by Bob Rafelson, starring Debrah Winger and Theresa Russell). In fact, this totally differently structured film, directed by and starring Giada Colagrande (The Royal Tenenbaums) and Willem Dafoe (American Psycho, Spiderman, Platoon…), destabilizes the visual habits that are usually so set in stone, since it’s more of a low-budget chamber film that can’t or won’t settle on a script direction and therefore on a genre. Drama, psychological thriller, detective story or simple relationship analysis?

Young Italian Eleonora inherits a lonely, mysterious designer house in suburban New York from her late lover Karl. Once there, she soon discovers that her partner has treacherously deceived her during their long-distance relationship. Since Eleonora doesn’t feel comfortable alone in the house, she asks the building’s manager, Leslie, to keep her company at first. But he accepts her offer all too willingly. But nothing is what it seems, or what it seems at first: a very unglamorous end awaits the shady building manager.

Black Widow is the second feature film by Italian actress-director Giada Colagrande (“Aprimi il cuore”), which she has been directing with her husband, Willem Dafoe, since 2005, as a kind of family project. The two protagonists of this drama of love and jealousy are also responsible for the bizarre screenplay.

The slightly predictable plot around the mysterious house naturally leads to Colagrande and Defoe having extraordinary sex with each other. But that’s not enough to make up for the sometimes slow pace; the subject matter can’t fail, since it’s once again about love, desire and passion, as well as sadness, tragedy and death.

My Rating

Rating: 3 out of 5.