My Brother Is An Only Child review

Scripted by Sandro Petraglia and Stefano Rulli, the writers of the epic The Best Of Youth, Daniele Luchetti’s film uses a love-hate relationship between two brothers to explore the ideological cracks within Italian society during the ’60s and ’70s. Set in Latina, a city built by Mussolini south of Rome, it’s narrated by Accio (Elio Germano), who as an awkward, impulsive adolescent signs up with the local fascists. Meanwhile, his elder and more favoured sibling Manrico (Riccardo Scamarcio) upholds the family’s leftist beliefs by becoming a Communist activist. The tale of divided loyalties doesn’t break fresh ground – and a nostalgic air could be seen as misguided, given Italy’s fascist past – but Luchetti keeps the drama surprisingly light. Vibrantly shot using handheld cameras, this is an amusing, engagingly acted film.