Review for ‘‘Elegy’’ by João Picciarelli

Classic noir, full of human misery and exposing the darkness of human soul & society, is a rarity nowadays. However, writer-director João Picciarelli with his student film Elegy does just that, with a result that is at the same time a formulaic yet unpredictable and all in all impressive debut.

A surreal tale of a detective's internal struggles and her very real downfall as a result of her addictions. First of all, a female noir protagonist is a rare yet hopeful sight, and a great decision on the writer's part. As she seemingly works a case we witness her plagued by a persistent, nightmarish figure visible only to her. Through deft visual symbolism the viewer is troubled by themes of drug addiction, alcoholism, self-destructive behavior & the Nietzschean idea that when you stare long into the abyss, the abyss stares back into you.

Visually, cinematography and lighting are beautiful, the surreal visual effects very effective, and the atmosphere is rounded out by an excellent and thoughtfully placed score. The black & white, costumes and the set design don't offer any innovation, instead electing to pay homage to classical noir. That in and of itself isn't negative, however we hope to see something more experimental from Picciarelli in the future. The acting is strong, although the protagonist isn't given much emotional material to work with.

Despite its small failings, Elegy stands out as a great first film for João Picciarelli and his team, technically impressive, professional through and through despite the small budget, and breathing a breath of fresh air in a long-neglected genre. We're waiting for the creator to spread his wings beyond homage and into novelty.