Game of Love follows Vivien (Bella Thorne) and Roy (Benjamin Mascolo) as their love story continues and leads them to Roy’s childhood home in Sicily to prepare for the sale of the family estate. During the visit, a mysterious woman arrives and befriends Vivien, much to Roy’s displeasure. Tensions build and lines are crossed as secrets from Roy’s past force the couple to face aspects of their relationship they did not know existed.
Directed by Elisa Amoruso, who co-wrote the film with Marco Borromei and Anita Rivaroli, Game of Love follows the trajectory of Vivien and Roy’s relationship as the latter befriends a mysterious woman named Anna (Alma Noce). Their friendship blossoms much to Roy’s chagrin, and it soon becomes clear that Anna’s presence is creating undue tension that forces him to confront his past—and forces Vivien to face aspects of their relationship that had not previously presented themselves.
The romantic setting of Game of Love is underscored by the beautiful song Anna sings with her partner Tony (Simone Coppo), but as the clip above indicates, a much more complicated and unsettling feeling lurks beneath the surface. Anna pointedly watches Roy and Vivien while singing the passionate Italian lyrics, and the fellow couple feels varying degrees of discomfort. When Anna proceeds to make a show of making out with Tony, Vivien and Roy run off together, happily enough for now. Clearly, it will take more tricks up Anna’s sleeve to win the day.
Throughout the clip and the trailer for Game of Love, Italy acts as a character in and of itself, beckoning Vivien and Roy to frolic and fret in turn. The snippets of Italian heard throughout, especially in the song Tony sings, add to the romantic atmosphere while simultaneously heightening the unfamiliarity of the young lovers’ surroundings. As much as the trip to Roy’s family estate is a vacation and a chance for the two of them to explore, it is also a test of how well they fare when they are uncertain of their steps. Anna may be the main obstacle to their happiness at the moment, but Italy represents the challenge they must overcome if their love is to survive.
Game of Love (2022)
Directed by: Elisa Amoruso
Starring: Bella Thorne, Benjamin Mascolo, Sebastiano Pigazzi, Rob David, Emma Lo Bianco, Nikolay Moss, Giampiero Judica, Joseph Ewonde, Giulio Brizzi, Jay Natelle, Bonnie Baddoo
Screenplay by: Elisa Amoruso, Patrizia Fiorellini, Lorenzo Ura
Production Design by: Tiziana Liberotti
Cinematography by: Martina Cocco
Film Editing by: Irene Vecchio
Art Direction by: Sergio Cosulich
Music by: Alberto Bof
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Vertical Entertainment
Release Date: October 14, 2022
Visits: 67
