Il Filo Invisibile (Italian / English) [The Invisible Thread]

I absolutely loved this film. Gay permuting as a subject is fascinating and there can be so many stories here which I don't think we are yet to explore. This film shows us one such family through the viewpoint of a son wrestling with the ups and downs of adolescence, whose two fathers have reached crisis point and are on the verge of separation. The film is mixed with joy and pain, drama and comedy but most importantly realism, which in this case shows to prove that a gay couple is no different from any other couple when it comes to anything family related.

Simone and Paolo are a gay couple who are on the verge of celebrating their 20th anniversary. Their teenage son Leone born through surrogacy with help of their friend Tully is making a documentary of their family as part of his school project. The trio is one big happy family, until on the night of the celebration it is revealed that Simone has been having an affair with someone for past two years. The incident comes as a huge shock to everyone involved, but none more so than to Leone, who suddenly finds his world turned upside down, as his fathers go their own ways. We also see Leon being attracted to a new French girl in school, who also becomes close to him. Leone is forced to accept that his “beautiful family” isn’t quite as perfect as it seems. The war between the couple intensifies and they both secretly decide to do DNA test to know who's the biological father. But neither them or the audience is prepared for the ultimate twist that comes up, eventually forcing the trip to rethink of their familial unit. 

This is such a heartfelt movie and is something that I hav been yearning for a while. A gay family drama with all the right ingredients. The makers have chosen to tackle this complex social theme with humour and comedic tones to probe the modern-day meaning of “family”. Even though we may feel that many issues are being over simplified, but this doesn’t detract from the film’s ability to convey a very important message that eventually family is about love, irrespective of blood ties. The dashes of humor ensures that watching this movie is far from a depressing experience despite the premise being a touchy subject and something that could get very heavy to watch. This film had me captivated from beginning to end, and I found the whole thing to be a real treat. Despite an affair being a significant plot point in this film, the film wants to showcase a story in which a family can be strengthened off the back of hardship, and this becomes a key factor in the narrative. 

The film is not about one single person but of the trio as a unit and this is what makes the film so very special. They come as a tightly-knit package, and the film goes to great lengths to show that everyone matters in this relationship and this whole story is about their shared experience. And this would not have been possible without the amazing amazing acting by all three leading men and the wonderfully though through story and incredible direction. As mentioned, its keeping a light touch while addressing the issues that helps making it a dark drama. Life has ups and downs with its little secrets but a family always comes out of it stronger. All-in-all, with its bittersweet moments, romantic nuances and a balanced view from both parents and the child perspective, there really is a lot to like in this movie. It captures so much, with so little, and delivers an enjoyable and touching journey. The ending scene is beautiful where Leone finds himself thinking about the “invisible thread” which binds him to his two dads and to all those who brought him into the world. Another gem from this year and strongly recommended and thankfully its available on Netflix. (8.5/10)