L'UOMO IN PiU
A Man not Wanted
Tony Servillo, Andrea Renzi

Cine Europa 8
Cinema 1, Edsa Shangri-la

A film set in the 80s in Naples, Italy showcases the lives of 2 different men who share the same name, Antonio Pisapia. One is a soccer player in a major Italian league team, the other is a chain smoking, egocentric singer. Roughly at the same time, they both experience defeat sending them on a decline. The soccer player suffers a knee injury which terminates his contract, while the singer's career plunges because of his indiscretion with a minor. 

We are shown how each of them cope with disillusion and their frustrating attempts to get their lives back into order. The 80s music was familiar. I chuckled when I heard "Illusions" being played in the disco scene. Then I realized that probably most of the viewers in the audience weren't even born when that song came out. But I remember that song fondly back in the days when it was still called disco and not bars. I was also an avid European soccer fan back in the 80s so I know the mechanics of the game. But they don't really focus too much on the game itself more on the persona of the two main characters. Acting was realistic. 

You can't help but be drawn to their sad plight. Eventually in the fleeting moment when they both 'meet' each other, the film takes an intriguing twist. It ends with a redemption for one of them.