Direction: Ferzan Ozpetek
Country: Italy
I was never an admirer of Italian director Ferzan Ozpetek’s style, and after watching his latest feminist comedy Diamonds, even less so. Formulaic, cheesy, and unexciting on every front, Diamonds explores the behind-the-scenes world of cinema in a soap-opera-like fashion that feels both predictable and uninspired. Ozpetek reportedly drew inspiration from his early experiences as an assistant director, yet the result rarely transcends cliché.
The plot, co-written with Elisa Casseri and Carlotta Corradi, follows a respected filmmaker (played by Ozpetek himself) who reunites his favorite actresses to make a film about women, set in the 1970s. At the center are the stern, emotionally guarded Alberta (Luisa Ranieri) and her perpetually grief-stricken sister Gabriella (Jasmine Trinca), founders of a Roman costume workshop serving the film industry. Around them orbit a group of female employees, each burdened with personal struggles.
There is little that feels authentic in this glossy misfire. The film collapses into trite melodrama, mawkish sentimentality, and an almost aggressively superficial treatment of its themes. Ozpetek’s heavy-handed direction, combined with exaggerated performances and relentlessly saccharine music, turns the experience into an exhausting exercise in emotional manipulation. The abrupt swings between comedy and tragedy come across as forced rather than affecting, making Diamonds—despite its surprising box-office success in Italy—a frustrating waste of time. I believe in the power of women, but not in the cinematic power of a misguided film like this.
