One of the better films I've seen recently, Facing Windows (La Finestra di Fronte, an Italian gem is often elegant and sometimes poignant. It shouldn't be surprising that this foreign effort trounces anything Hollywood has coughed up recently. There are several noticeable elements that flow together well including an opening mystery and the interwoven romance, both of events past and present. I enjoyed the provocativeness of the forbidden affair that the main character Giovanna fantasized about and sort of intertwined with the mystery of the stranger at hand. Simone was a well done character as was her neighbor Lorenzo. As the mystery of the man is resolved, we still are unsure of what's going on with Giovanna - the movie takes the practical approach to the situation, and (spoiler) there is a short magnificent monologue concluding the movie. Although a few years old, one of the better movie's I've seen in awhile.

This extraordinary work manages to turn an account of "une femme coincee" and her constricted working-class life into a towering statement about existence. It seems impossible that the story of a few weeks in the life of a book-keeper in a chicken "factory" and a man who checks the oil in a fleet of trucks at night could become a grand drama, but this is what Facing Windows achieves. How many times does this film give you a frisson of emotion, a shudder of insight? When most films can barely achieve one at all. Giovanna Mezzogiorno is remarkable in the lead role, balancing all the facets of her life, which has been a difficult one, because she plays an orphan, and triumphing over both herself and her relationship as the result of an unexpected friendship. One of those films, watchable again and again, that were made under a favorable moon.

Have you ever wondered what your life would look like to a stranger looking in? If you were able to magically remove yourself and look at your "everyday", would there be insight to be had? Many of us allow life to pass us by. We do not demand enough, we do not strive enough, we do not mold what we have to the best of what it could be. This film compels you to question yourself, to appreciate more and not take things for granted, because our todays soon become our tomorrows and we do not want to be left with any regrets and what ifs.The film is very real. I felt engaged, I felt involved, and at the end, I felt serene. This is the calibre of film that film-goers live for.

I saw the movie in original Italian. It must be said that the acting and interpretation is most heavily polluted by the TV-generated trend to speak in a severely muffled voice, not moving lips, straining tones, as emerged in the "That's real life"-productions and "Let's-raise-our audience-with-a-few-tears"-screen-playwriting. The late Massimo Girotti towers upon the other characters for intensity, clarity of expression and intellectual honesty. The movie has some good hints, but (as in another comment before mine) it lacks a focal point and dribbles away in many plot-lets of lesser and lesser relevance, another trend dragged in from the TV productions, well known to Italians. A few drops in style could be spared to the public, such as the patisserie drag (Charm and aesthetics of cooking plus sensual payload of sweets, see Chocolat, Babette's lunch, Vatel etc.) Hammam and the Fairies are definitely more truthful, seems that Ozpetek has learned the tune of Italy in the early 2000s and is humming along... I'll give him a last chance though...