Spoiler alert: Please tread carefully, I share a little too much information that may affect your first time watching this fabulous movie.

I am no stranger to “Call Me by Your Name”; I have watched it multiple times, yet there is still so much to uncover.

The film is a movie adaptation of the book “Call Me by Your Name” by André Aciman, directed by the acclaimed Italian film director and producer Luca Guadagnino with the screenplay written by James Ivory. It is a coming of age summer romance following 17-year-old Elio (played by Timothée Chalamet) and his father’s American intern, Oliver (played by Arnie Hammer), as they fall in love somewhere in Italy in the 80s.

The Romance

There are parts of the dynamics between Oliver and Elio that I still don’t quite understand. It feels like they went awkward and distant to smitten and close in the blink of an eye. Because of this and other factors, I can only describe Elio’s feelings for Oliver as intense.

In normal queer media fashion, they do not end up together, regardless of how enamored they were by the end of Oliver’s stay. The aftermath of that is truly devastating. I think the heartache Elio faced is a clear show of their differences in age; he is a young man grappling with the end of his first intense romance and the huge discoveries of self that came with it. While controversial and even provocative to some, the age difference wasn’t at the forefront of their relationship.

I haven’t read the book but I’m interested in seeing more into Elio’s mind. I wish the book also featured Oliver’s POV. I think there are a lot of things I don’t have complete insight on; I’m not privy to the deeper meanings of certain facets of their relationship. I do however think it is interesting to follow the transformation Elio undergoes throughout this relationship.

Regardless, I am content riding this emotional rollercoaster. I understand it’s forbidden, I understand they are two men (or a boy and a man) who cannot be together. It’s another sad queer story with beautiful cinematography.

Cinematography

Visually this movie is truly beautiful; the colors are so vivid and the setting is beyond words. This makes Guadagnino’s influence clear. The landscape of Italy and the bodies of water make watching this movie feel like summer.

When I think about the film I instantly think about the colors blue and green. It’s truly beautifully filmed. Everything from the late Italian nights and the company they keep makes you want to spend a summer in the Italian countryside, biking around everywhere following a beau who may or may not like you in the ways you hope.

My Favorite Scene

My favorite scene begins as they are standing together on either side of a statue. Elio shares a fact, and Oliver responds musing on Elio’s endless knowledge and wisdom. Elio then dismisses the comment, exclaiming he knows nothing about the things that truly matter, to which Oliver asks why he is sharing this.

The screenplay reads like this:

OLIVER
Why are you telling me all this?

ELIO
Because I thought you should know.

OLIVER (he repeats ELIO’s words slowly, playing for time as he considers them)
Because you thought I should know.

ELIO
Because I want you to know (blurting it out) Because there is no one else I can say this to but you.

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After, Elio whispers to himself: “Because I wanted you to know” THREE times, with THREE different tones and inflections. It is a confession and realization dripping with wonder and awe. The piano that comes after this sequence is the icing on the cake.

The Score

The musicality of this movie is absolute magic, it is so dreamy. Sufjan Stevens, an American singer-songwriter who composed “Mystery of Love” for the film, is truly one of a kind. It felt like driving in the car with the windows down, feeling the music flowing through a breeze that whispers across your face, carrying beautiful melodies. The lyrics of “Mystery of Love” are iconic, especially “Oh, to see without my eyes / The first time that you kissed me / Boundless by the time I cried.” I highly recommend giving it a listen.

This movie exemplifies curiosity and passion to me. I see this as a common theme in the lives of gay youth and queer people fighting against their desires until they can take it no more. “Call Me by Your Name” is definitely worth a watch.