Authenticity is a rare and beautiful thing in the world of film. It’s not often that a police procedural movie gives such an accurate look at the process of criminal investigations, which are slow and consist mostly of wasted conversations that will lead nowhere. Magical computers don’t conveniently supply every bit of pertinent information about a suspect in a matter of seconds. An investigator trusts nothing and verifies everything. Director Andrea Molaioli, in her feature film debut, captures the tedium of a police officer’s world but still somehow makes it fascinating cinema.
The plot of the film is reminiscent of Twin Peaks. A pretty young girl is murdered in a small town and a talented investigator is called in from the big city to sort through the eccentric local suspects to deduce the killer’s identity. In this case, the locale is a picturesque small town in Northern Italy, beautifully photographed by award winning cinematographer Ramiro Civito. The scenery alone is almost worth buying the DVD for.
The Girl by the Lake is based on the book Don’t Look Back by acclaimed Norwegian crime novelist Karin Fossum (often called the Agatha Christie of Norway) and is the second entry in her popular “Inspector Sejer” series. The film swept the Italian Academy Awards and won several honors in the Venice film festival including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Screenplay and Cinematography. The movie transfers the action from Norway to Italy and our hero’s name is changed from Sejer to Sanzio.
The film starts with a diversionary scene designed to make you think one character will be the murder victim rather than the true victim. But soon enough, the real plot gets going when a beautiful young local girl named Anna (Alessia Piovan) is found dead near a lake. The town calls in renowned investigator Giovanni Sanzio, (wonderfully played by Toni Servillo) who’s recently moved to a nearby city to be close to his institutionalized wife (Anna Bonaiuto). Although the aging investigator is distracted by many personal matters, including raising his teenage daughter Francesca (Giulia Michelini) alone, he heeds the call for help.
Assisted by Inspectors Alfredo (Nello Mascia) and Giani (Sara D’Amario), Sanzio begins the painstaking process of questioning all the quirky suspects. The list of possible perpetrators includes Anna’s slacker boyfriend Roberto (Dennis); slow-witted Mario (Franco Ravera) who found the body; Mario’s angry, wheelchair-bound father (Omero Antonutti), who hated pretty Anna for showing off her legs as she jogged, tempting his dim-witted son; Anna’s father Davide Natal, who took creepy, voyeuristic films of her; and Anna’s adopted sister Silvia (Heidi Caldart) who resented the fact that her dad ignored her but worshipped Anna.
During the course of the investigation, Sanzio discovers that Anna had been the baby sitter for the child of Corrado Canali (Fabrizio Gifuni) and his wife Chiara (Valeria Golina). The boy died under mysterious circumstances. Is this sad event connected somehow to Anna’s death? And why had Anna abruptly given up Hockey, which had been her passion until recently? As you might expect, not everyone in the town is quite what they seem and everyone has secrets to hide. Most of the secrets uncovered turn out to be red herrings but Sanzio presses on, determined to find the truth.
Despite the short running length of the film, the story moves along at a very leisurely pace. Sanzio’s detail-oriented approach to the investigation is meticulously recorded by director Molaioli. Police work is not exciting or glamorous here. It’s just work. And in-between Sanzio’s interrogations, our hero makes the time to visit his wife (whose dementia is so bad she doesn’t remember him) and to argue with his rebellious daughter.
Servillo portrays Sanzio with authority, dignity and a touch of melancholy. He never lets his personal crises interfere with his total professionalism while at work. At home, he tells well intentioned lies to his daughter about the mother’s prognosis. Even when he learns that his wife, who has forgotten him, is becoming attracted to a fellow patient, he takes it with stoic acceptance. He is a completely admirable character.
Some modern viewers may have a problem with the slow pace of The Girl by the Lake, but it suits the realistic depiction of procedural crime investigation. The biggest flaw in the film involves an abrupt and rather unconvincing resolution to the mystery which many may find far too convenient to accept. The best thing about this film is the performances, especially the gravitas brought by Servillo as a world weary man who faces life with courage and dignity.
DVD Bonus Features
The only extra on this DVD is the theatrical trailer.
"The Girl by the Lake" is on sale July 13, 2010 and is not rated. Drama, Mystery. Directed by Andrea Molaioli. Written by Sandro Petraglia and Karin Fossum . Starring Fabrizio Gifuni, Omero Antonutti, Toni Servillo, Valeria Golina.
