What time is it? (1989)

Ettore Scola's 1989 film "What Time Is It?" is not just a comedy, but a profound reflection on time, expectations, and the eternal conflict between generations. Under Scola's masterful direction and thanks to the powerful acting duo of Marcello Mastroianni and Massimo Troisi, the film explores the chasm between a father's ambitions and a son's search for his own path.

Plot

At the center of the story is Marcello (Marcello Mastroianni), a successful and quite self-satisfied Roman lawyer who has dedicated his entire life to his career and achieving high status. He arrives in the port city of Civitavecchia to visit his son Michele (Massimo Troisi), who is serving in the Italian army. Marcello, full of pride in his achievements, seeks to share the fruits of his success with his son, expecting him to follow in his footsteps. However, to his great bewilderment, Michele shows complete indifference to the values so important to his father. This meeting becomes a catalyst for a series of misunderstandings, emotional discoveries, and encounters with people from Michele's circle, including his girlfriend Loredana (Anne Parillaud), which further emphasizes the cultural and value gap between father and son.

Why watch

• Iconic direction by Ettore Scola: A master of Italian cinema, Ettore Scola is known for his ability to combine humor with deep social and psychological analysis. In "What Time Is It?", he brilliantly dissects the relationships between fathers and children without descending into banality.
• Brilliant acting duo: Marcello Mastroianni and Massimo Troisi, two titans of Italian cinema, create an unforgettable contrast on screen. Mastroianni embodies the image of a life-wise father, lost in the modern world, while Troisi portrays a melancholic son searching for meaning. Their acting fills the film with sincerity and drama.
• Timeliness of themes: The film is from 1989, but its themes – misunderstanding between generations, the search for personal happiness versus public recognition, reevaluation of life values – remain relevant today, prompting viewers to reflect on their own path.
• Subtle humor and atmosphere: Despite its dramatic undercurrent, "What Time Is It?" is a comedy. The humor here is subtle, sometimes ironic, but always appropriate, relieving tension and making the narrative light and engaging. The atmosphere of the port city of Civitavecchia serves as a wonderful backdrop for this human drama.

Themes

The main themes of the film are the inevitable conflict between generations, where each tries to impose their ideas of the right life; the complexity of father-son relationships, permeated by both love and misunderstanding; the search for individual freedom and authenticity in the face of societal expectations; and, of course, the fleetingness of time, which is reflected in the very title, prompting reflection on how we use the hours of life allotted to us.

Editorial opinion

"What Time Is It?" is an outstanding example of Italian comedy that, behind a mask of lightness, conceals deep and universal truths. Ettore Scola's film is not just entertaining cinema, but an important cinematographic statement about the clash of eras, about ambition and self-sacrifice, about the eternal search for meaning. The editorial board of Minatrix.TV highly recommends watching this film, which can evoke both laughter and make one look anew at relationships with loved ones and one's own life.