TIFF 2023: La Chimera Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

There are films where if they don’t go right, right away, it become easier to tune out. La Chimera. for better or worse, is one of those films. A mostly Italian feature, this character piece brings a lot to the table within its slightly overlong 2+ hour running time but is seemingly satisfied with operating above the surface throughout. Lead Josh O’Connor certainly does his best to carry the film, for which he does a great job, however, it could have been so much more. Gaps in character development, slow pace, and shallow characters, storylines and subplots ultimately keep it from truly succeeding. That being said, while it remains watchable, many of its flaws will inevitably lead many to find it on the dull side. Basically, O’Connor and everyone else, on top of standing out amongst a predominantly Italian cast, he stood out for being the only interesting thing about a film that had very little in the way of a story whose main takeaway was its respect of Italian culture and history. Shot in a variety of styles, alternating between 35mm, Super 16, and 16mm, the film’s look was another highlight.

La Chimera is centered around a quirky group of grave robbers who have made a lucrative career for themselves, plundering for valuable antiquities and selling them on the black market. Back from a prison stint, Arthur (O’Connor), their well-dressed leader rejoined the group and they went back to work. With an uncanny ability to locate antiquities, he had made a life for himself and the love of his life, Beniamina, near the Italian coast. As her memory slowly slipped away, things started to change but he still maintained a strong relationship with Beniamina’s mother Flora (Rossellini) and her caretaker Italia (Duarte). While Arthur’s group set their sights on their next big score, his focus began to shift the more his relationship with the latter developed. Unearthing what was perhaps their biggest score and biggest payday yet, he was somehow drawn to it while seeming undergoing a crisis of conscience which inevitably caused some friction within his group. This latest find was different as the question became who was the rightful owner in what proved to be a humbling moment for Arthur.

The best part of La Chimera was of course O’Connor’s performance as Arthur. In a film that was merely him and everything else, he was compelling to watch but it just needed more depth overall, be it him, his gang, the world they operated in, and his relationship with Beniamina. Despite essentially being a blank slate, he still pulled out some emotion in spite of the material. Meanwhile, O’Connor’s chemistry with Duarte was charming over the time they spent together.

In the end, La Chimera is a solid yet shallow character drama whose pace won’t be for everyone but the charm of Josh O’Connor goes a long way to make it work.

*still courtesy of Elevation Pictures*

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.