Luigi Lo Cascio Movies

This deeply nostalgic, operatic family drama represented a labor of love for its director, Pupi Avati (The Story of Boys and Girls). A thinly-disguised autobiographical account, it dramatizes the director's formative years growing up in early 1950s Italy. As events both significant and insignificant transpire with his family, teenager Bep (Neri Marcore, Avati's onscreen surrogate) spends many memorable hours spying on the customers of a local bar from his bedroom window. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Dark shadows from a woman's past come back to haunt her in this drama from writer and director Cristina Comencini. Sabina (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) would seem to have a charmed life -- she has a successful career as a voice actress, a loving and supportive relationship with her boyfriend, Franco (Alessio Boni), and a pair of close friends she can confide in, Maria (Angela Finocchiaro) and Emilia (Stefania Rocca). But Sabina's contented existence is shattered when she inadvertently dredges up a long-dormant memory of how during her childhood she was sexually abused by her father. Confused and ashamed, Sabina finds it impossible to talk about her memories with Franco and her friends, but the terrible images refuse to go away. Seeking closure, Sabina travels to the United States to talk to the one person who may have a true insight to her problems, her brother, Daniele (Luigi Lo Cascio). Originally released in Italy as La Bestia nel Cuore, Don't Tell premiered at the 2005 Venice Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A young couple, Chiara (Maya Sansa) and Ernesto (Pier Giorgio Bellocchio, the director's son), follow a real estate agent through a nicely secluded apartment, which they subsequently rent. They then begin doing some strange renovations. It turns out that they're not a couple at all. They're members of the Red Brigade, and the apartment is going to be used to house a kidnapped government official. Good Morning, Night is established writer/director Marco Bellocchio's take on the kidnapping of Aldo Moro, president of the Christian Democratic Party, which rocked Italian politics in the late '70s. Bellocchio tells the story from Chiara's point-of-view, as her romantic relationship with fellow cell member Primo (Giovanni Calcagno) and her allegiance to their strident leader, Mariano (Luigi Lo Cascio), is gradually shaken as she begins to develop respect and affection for their hapless captive, Moro (Roberto Herlitzka). She also begins to feel attracted to Enzo (Paolo Briguglia), a co-worker at her office job (a front for her more radical activities) who has similar political leanings, but strongly disagrees with the Red Brigade's tactics. Chiara spends hours watching Moro in his "cell" through a peephole, as he defends his political actions in a mock trial conducted by Mariano. As negotiations for Moro's release falter due to the government's hard-line stance, Chiara begins to fantasize about helping him escape. Good Morning, Night (the title comes from a poem by Emily Dickinson) was shown at the 2003 Venice Film Festival, where it won the Little Golden Lion, the "CinemAvvenire," and an award for Bellocchio's screenplay. It was also selected for the 2003 New York Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Directed by Marco Tullio Giordana and La Meglio Gioventu, this film chronicles the youth, emotional development, and milestone events in the lives of brothers Nicola (Luigi Lo Cascio and Matteo Carti (Alessio Boni) between 1966 and the early 2000s. Despite being polar opposites -- Nicola is a free spirited, romantic psychiatrist; Matteo is an angst-ridden idealist and member of the Italian police force -- the brothers stay connected through the nature of life, family, and time, even during their long periods of separation from one another. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Giuseppe Piccioni follows up on his 1999 opus Not of this World with this understated drama about fantasy and reality. The film centers on Antonio (Luigi Lo Cascio), a youngish chauffeur who is a model of professional promptness and courtesy. He also possesses a vivid inner world dominated by images of other worlds and other planets. A chance near-accident introduces him to Maria (Sandra Ceccarelli), a struggling single mother trying desperately to keep her frozen foods store afloat and to keep her daughter from being taken away from her by the child's grasping grandparents. Even though Maria is extremely suspicious of Antonio's intentions, the two form a slow tentative relationship. When he learns Maria's dire circumstances, he selflessly tries to intercede at the expense of his own career. Antonio makes quiet deals with the sleazy gangster (Silvio Orlando) to whom Maria owes money, drives the crime boss around on his various errands, and eventually participates in some of his shady dealings. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto and Venice Film Festivals. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi