it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

This is a well crafted film. The actors are good, especially the women. However, the script is less than inspired. In the first part of the movie we are introduced to Nanni Moretti, a happily married psychiatrist with two teen-aged children, a daughter and a son. Then the son dies in an accident. Given that scenario, in the normal course of events you would expect: despair, denial, guilt, what ifs, marital difficulties, the questioning of life goals, and so forth. And that is exactly what you get. The ending did supply some ambiguity. Just when you though the family was on the road to acceptance and coming back together, they are seen walking on the beach with each one going in a different direction. Nanni's dilemma with staying in his job is nicely set up by several scenes showing what he has to deal with as a psychiatrist. If what is presented is a typical cross section of patients, then it would seem inevitable that a major life crisis would precipitate the shakedown in Nanni's professional life. In fact Nanni was showing some signs of feeling ineffective in being able to help his patients before the tragedy. After having seen what it is like from the other side of the couch, I came away from this movie wondering how a psychiatrist can avoid early burnout.With scenes like the family's last viewing of the body in a casket before it is sealed, it is hard to avoid getting wrapped up in the tragedy that befalls this family, but the emotional investment did not pay off for me in the end. Movies with a similar theme (the loss of a child) that I found more interesting and engaging are, "Ordinary People" and "In the Bedroom."

Nanni is far better then Kieslowski. Kieslowski did not shoot Ecce Bombo. He did not shoot Bianca. He did not shoot Sogni d'oro. He did not suck Laura Morante's breast. Anyway. Nanni you can't. You can't do this to me. This is not you. This is some kind of sugary thing. You made me laugh and think. And now: this. What is it? I don't know. I thought you were trying to look like Bergman. But he was good. You aren't. I mean: no, you are. But. But this is not you. You can't be good trying to look like Bergman. What have you done? You are not young anymore. You are not the son anymore.P.s.: Stefano Accorsi. I can't believe it. I simply can't. Stefano Accorsi. Again: I can't.

Sometimes watching a lot of famous, award-winning or cult films can be desensitizing and you start to wonder why you fell in love with cinema in the first place. Then along comes a film like The Son's Room! This is a film I didn't even want to see. I didn't like Ordinary People and I thought this would be a rip-off and a boring film. Instead, it blew me away completely. The Son's Room is one of the most heartfelt and moving films to come out in the past decade. It is an emotional roller-coaster and as a viewer I was part of the ride all the way.Much of the credit has to go to writer-director-producer-star Nanni Moretti. The story he has crafted is admittedly not unique. But the treatment is beautiful. Like the family, I as a viewer lived the entire experience of the loss - the denial, the break-down, the pain and the coming to terms with a terrible family tragedy. The tragedy itself comes as a big shock. All this despite the fact that its not an event or plot based film. Its a gently paced story of normal people leading normal lives. There is nothing brilliant about the lives of the central characters or their interests. Even the patients of psychiatrist Giovanni are very ordinary and their problems and lives are actually quite mundane because they are lazy and selfish.Moretti's direction is superb. I loved the camera movements. When you see this, notice the long steadicam take near the beginning of the movie when Giovanni comes home. There is a similar shot close to the end. But so much has changed. Music plays a central role in the movie. There is the music score which is lovely. After the tragedy, the tempo slows down and it moves from wind instruments to the piano and really has a major psychological impact. One of the best scores in modern times. There is a 1970's song "By This River" towards the end and if you watch the movie, you'll understand how appropriate it is. Moretti's brilliance in writing and directing this lovely film would have been more than enough. But he is also the central figure in the movie and gives a wonderful, restrained performance. I'm talking Anthony Hopkins Remains of the Day caliber. In fact, all the performances were very natural and realistic. No star turns - just total emphasis on the story. This is a rare and very special achievement.

This is a story about an Italian family.There are four members in the family; the psychoanalyst father Giovanni (Nanni Moretti), mother Paola (Laura Morante), daughter Irene (Jasmine Trinca) and son Andrea (Giuseppe Sanfelice).The life of this family tragically changes after they lose one member of the family.The son Andrea dies in a scuba diving accident.Nanni Moretti's La stanza del figlio (The Son's Room) from 2001 is a sad movie that is not supposed to be entertaining in any way.It is supposed to make you cry.This is only a story but this could be real.Tragedies happen all the time.The world is not filled with laughter and joy only.This is a great movie about one tragic event.In a perfect world this could happen only in movies.