Human Capital (2013)

The destinies of two families are irrevocably tied together after a cyclist is hit off the road by a jeep in the night before Christmas Eve.

Director:

Paolo Virzì

Writers:

Stephen Amidon (novel), Paolo Virzì (screenplay)

Stars:

Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Matilde Gioli, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi

46 wins & 30 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Fabrizio Bentivoglio	...	Dino Ossola
Matilde Gioli	...	Serena Ossola
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi	...	Carla Bernaschi
Guglielmo Pinelli	...	Massimiliano Bernaschi
Fabrizio Gifuni	...	Giovanni Bernaschi
Gigio Alberti	...	Giampi
Valeria Golino	...	Roberta
Silvia Cohen	...	Adriana Crosetti
Luigi Lo Cascio	...	Donato, il professor Russomanno
Bebo Storti	...	L'ispettore
Giovanni Anzaldo	...	Luca Ambrosini
Paolo Pierobon	...	Lo zio Davide
Gianluca Di Lauro	...	Fabrizio, il cameriere in bici
Stefano Fiorentino	...	Amico e socio di Bernaschi
Fulvio Milani	...	Altro amico di Bernaschi

Storyline

Dino Ossola, a small-time real estate agent who dreams of bigger things ; Serena Ossola, his teenage daughter who dates a spoilt rich brat ; Carla Bruneschi, an actress who has given up her career to marry a wealthy businessman ; Massimiliano Giovanni Bernaschi, her husband, a powerful player ; Massimiliano Bernaschi, the troubled son of the Bernaschis' ; Roberta Ossola, a psychologist, Dino's second wife ; Donato Russomano, a brilliant drama teacher who is stuck on Carla ; Luca Ambrosini, a teenager frowned upon by others ; an anonymous cyclist... They are all shareholders of the human capital. Errr... all? Really?

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Plot Keywords:

italy | male frontal nudity | male nudity | traffic accident | cyclist | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [Japan]

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian English

Release Date:

9 January 2014 (Italy)

Also Known As:

El capital humano

Filming Locations:

Milan, Lombardia, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

€6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$62,093, 6 February 2015, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$157,336, 12 April 2015

Company Credits

Production Co:

Indiana Production Company, Motorino Amaranto, Manny Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

French visa# 136098.

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Connections

Features Our Lady of the Turks (1968)

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Soundtracks

Concerto No. 4 in F minor, RV 297 (Winter) - First Movement
Composed by Antonio Vivaldi (as A. Vivaldi)

User Reviews

Hedge by Chapter

Greetings again from the darkness. The financial crisis-manslaughter-class warfare-thriller from novelist Stephen Amidon shifts from Connecticut (in the book) to just outside of Milan for director Paolo Verzi's look at class and character. A term used by insurance companies to calculate the value of a human life in settlement cases, "human capital" carries even more meaning in this twisted tale of greed and broken dreams.

After an opening sequence that shows an off-duty waiter getting knocked from his bicycle by a swerving SUV in the dark of night, the story is divided into chapters that provide the various perspectives of different characters affected by this hit-and-run. Dino (Fabrizio Bentivoglio) is a middle-class real estate business owner whose girlfriend (the too rarely seen Valeria Golino) is pregnant with twins, and his daughter Serena (Matilde Gioli) is dating a private school classmate Massimiliano (Guglielmo Pinelli) who comes from the upper crest Bernaschi family that is living the dream thanks to the dad's (Fabrizio Gifuni) hedge-fund success.

It's easy to see how the lives of these two families become intertwined, and how a few other characters are also affected, but the real joy here is in getting to know each through their own actions. Dino desperately wants a taste of the finer things in life, and risks everything by fraudulently obtaining a bank loan in order to buy into Bernaschi's hedge fund. His wife Roberta is a trusting and pure-hearted woman who accepts her place in society and warmly looks forward to being a new mom. Their daughter Serena proves to be the best judge of character and soon enough boots the spoiled kid Massimiliano to the curb, while connecting with the artistic and misunderstood Luca (Giovanni Anzaldo), though even Serena's moral compass shows its cracks.

Bernaschi is a smooth operator and the perfect face for a hedge fund so dependent on the financial collapse of its own country. His wife Carla (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) is a lost soul … enjoying the perks of a wealthy lifestyle, but still holding on to her artistic dreams of youth. Life as a trophy wife is evidently not so fulfilling for those with their own aspirations. Their son Massimiliano, as you might imagine, is unable to live up to the expectations of his father, and frequently handles his perceived lack of parental attention by over-boozing at every opportunity.

This film was Italy's submission to the Academy in the Best Foreign Language category, but unfortunately did not make the final cut. It is rich in texture and remarkable in its ability to convey depth in so many characters. The basic story has some similarities to the film 21 Grams, in that we witness the many ways in which people handle crisis. In this case, the mystery of the initial sequence is left unsolved until near the end, but there are so many personal "fork in the road" moments, that solving the case of the cyclist death somehow doesn't monopolize our thoughts.

Excellent acting throughout allows us to connect with each of the key characters, and especially worth noting are Valeria Bruni Tedeschi and Matilde Gioli. Ms. Gioli is a newcomer with a bright future. She brings believability and strength to a teenager role that would more typically be over-the-top or one-dimensional in the hands of a lesser actress. Even more impressive is the performance from Ms. Bruni Tedeschi who perfectly captures the heartbreak of a woman living a life others can only dream about, while her own dreams are but shadows from the past.

With source material from a U.S. novelist, and subject matter involving the 1% and crisis of conscience, it's not difficult to imagine an American remake, but this version is highly recommended for those who enjoy a multi-faceted dramatic thriller.