Directed by Paolo Virzi based on the novel by American author Stephen Amidon this film is one of those that requires full attention so that the myriad aspects of individual views of a lifestyle and an incident seep in slowly.The destinies of two families are irrevocably tied together after a cyclist is hit off the road by a jeep in the night before Christmas Eve. The intertwined cast of characters are Dino Ossola (Fabrizio Bentivoglio), a small-time real estate agent who dreams of bigger things, Serena Ossola (Matilde Gioli), his teenage daughter who dates a spoiled rich brat, Carla Bruneschi (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi – beautiful and brilliant as always), an actress who has given up her career to marry a wealthy businessman, Giovanni Bernaschi (Fabrizio Gifuni), her husband, a powerful player, Massimiliano Bernaschi (Guglielmo Pinelli), the troubled son of the Bernaschis', Roberta Ossola (Valeria Golino), a psychologist, Dino's second wife, Donato Russomano (Luigi Lo Cascio), a brilliant drama teacher who is enamored by Carla, Luca Ambrosini (Giovanni Anzaldo), a teenager frowned upon by others, and an anonymous cyclist. They are all shareholders of the human capital. The story is divided into four chapters, seen from the point of view of three characters, plus a final chapter. The score was written and performed by Amy Winehouse. In Italian with English subtitles.A tough movie to watch but on made with sophistication.

If you've read anything at all about Il Capitale Humano, you might have stumbled on words like 'whodunit'. This'll give you the impression you're about to watch a Miss Marple episode and while this is somewhat the case, it's also quite far removed from the truth.The film's structured in four chapters. The first three show the same timespan from differing points of view while the fourth functions as the denouement. There's a prologue: a working man cycles home late at night and is driven off the road by a driver who quickly tries to pass by him. The cyclist lies there with a serious head injury, helpless. Some time before that, we meet Dino who's driving his daughter Serena to a friend, Massimiliano, the son of a rich businessman, Giovanni. While they disappear off-screen, we follow Dino in his desperate attempts to befriend the head of the family so he can close a business deal with him. In the next chapter we follow Giovanni's wife, Carla, who's has to give up a lot to live her comfortable live, but finds an opportunity to reignite her past passions and interests. The third chapter shows what Serena's been up to and everything comes together in the final chapter, aptly titled Il Capitale Humano.Needless to say, the first three chapters are structured like a mystery. The mystery of who's responsible for the accident is slowly uncovered, but it's not really the central theme. In the end, it's not a question of 'whodunit', but the dynamics between these characters and their positions in society and relative to each other. In this sense, it feels more like an Iñárritu film (Babel, etc.) in that there's a single incident that causes a butterfly effect, drastically altering the lives of many.In the end, it's a great tragicomedy about greed and modern life, admittedly overly familiar themes here packaged into a cinematically satisfying whole. The film is particularly aware of the great irony of money being perceived as the way to happiness (though the film thankfully doesn't fall into the trap of showing the happy poor/middle class and the unhappy rich, a trap Woody Allen fell into when he made Blue Valentine). This is particularly apparent in a scene towards the end where Dino does something drastic for the sake of his and his family's financial future, an act that will have dire consequences for his daughter. Most characters, especially parental figures, seek to make money out of the conviction it'll be the end of their (and others') problems; instead, only more problems are created. The very term 'human capital' exemplifies this. How can a human being and his situation be translated into monetary value? Il Capitale Humano has the answer.

Greetings again from the darkness. The financial crisis-manslaughter-class warfare-thriller from novelist Stephen Amidon shifts from Connecticut (in the book) to just outside of Milan for director Paolo Verzi's look at class and character. A term used by insurance companies to calculate the value of a human life in settlement cases, "human capital" carries even more meaning in this twisted tale of greed and broken dreams.After an opening sequence that shows an off-duty waiter getting knocked from his bicycle by a swerving SUV in the dark of night, the story is divided into chapters that provide the various perspectives of different characters affected by this hit-and-run. Dino (Fabrizio Bentivoglio) is a middle-class real estate business owner whose girlfriend (the too rarely seen Valeria Golino) is pregnant with twins, and his daughter Serena (Matilde Gioli) is dating a private school classmate Massimiliano (Guglielmo Pinelli) who comes from the upper crest Bernaschi family that is living the dream thanks to the dad's (Fabrizio Gifuni) hedge-fund success.It's easy to see how the lives of these two families become intertwined, and how a few other characters are also affected, but the real joy here is in getting to know each through their own actions. Dino desperately wants a taste of the finer things in life, and risks everything by fraudulently obtaining a bank loan in order to buy into Bernaschi's hedge fund. His wife Roberta is a trusting and pure-hearted woman who accepts her place in society and warmly looks forward to being a new mom. Their daughter Serena proves to be the best judge of character and soon enough boots the spoiled kid Massimiliano to the curb, while connecting with the artistic and misunderstood Luca (Giovanni Anzaldo), though even Serena's moral compass shows its cracks.Bernaschi is a smooth operator and the perfect face for a hedge fund so dependent on the financial collapse of its own country. His wife Carla (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) is a lost soul … enjoying the perks of a wealthy lifestyle, but still holding on to her artistic dreams of youth. Life as a trophy wife is evidently not so fulfilling for those with their own aspirations. Their son Massimiliano, as you might imagine, is unable to live up to the expectations of his father, and frequently handles his perceived lack of parental attention by over-boozing at every opportunity.This film was Italy's submission to the Academy in the Best Foreign Language category, but unfortunately did not make the final cut. It is rich in texture and remarkable in its ability to convey depth in so many characters. The basic story has some similarities to the film 21 Grams, in that we witness the many ways in which people handle crisis. In this case, the mystery of the initial sequence is left unsolved until near the end, but there are so many personal "fork in the road" moments, that solving the case of the cyclist death somehow doesn't monopolize our thoughts.Excellent acting throughout allows us to connect with each of the key characters, and especially worth noting are Valeria Bruni Tedeschi and Matilde Gioli. Ms. Gioli is a newcomer with a bright future. She brings believability and strength to a teenager role that would more typically be over-the-top or one-dimensional in the hands of a lesser actress. Even more impressive is the performance from Ms. Bruni Tedeschi who perfectly captures the heartbreak of a woman living a life others can only dream about, while her own dreams are but shadows from the past.With source material from a U.S. novelist, and subject matter involving the 1% and crisis of conscience, it's not difficult to imagine an American remake, but this version is highly recommended for those who enjoy a multi-faceted dramatic thriller.

The other reviews already mention a lot. What I absolutely liked was the subtleties, the reality. The characters were very well worked out (and acted!) and it was very convincing. I know- too well - the world on the hill. In general, things are always oversimplified or exaggerated. Not here. Everything else (plot, script, photography etc) was also perfect - but this might well be the first time that I see wealthy characters so truthful.So layered. I cherished it.You come to love most of the characters, with an exception of the father of Serena which I first fell sorry for, but during the movie the opinion gradually changed. Un baccio! Che cazzo. Even the mother of Massimiliano - so well acted! - you feel pity for her. And she looks so empty, so sad.