Sacco e Vanzetti

Sacco and Vanzetti is a movie that will destroy any illusions you may have regarding the impartiality and functionality of any judicial system, especially the one in the "land of freedom and democracy". The distinctly documentary-style drama uses a cool and factual approach to the events surrounding the fabricated lawsuit with Italian immigrants Niccola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti. At times, I found it maybe too cold, which was perhaps the most appropriate choice due to the heavy subject matter showing the uncompromising development of events around the two main characters. I was especially surprised by Gian Maria Volonté with his dignified performance in the role of a political radical, whose opinions you don’t have to agree with at all, still, will be unable to resist being impressed by his innocent devotion to a higher cause. (2020.03.15)

This film is well-written, well-shot, and well-acted, but it lacks a greater distance from its subject matter. It's too apparent that the creators sympathize with the political convictions of their protagonists, making the film more of a tribute to the labor movement of that era than an artistic statement about a particular court drama and a contentious time. While it's hard to fault the individual components of the film, Sacco and Vanzetti as a whole certainly won't leave viewers ecstatic. Much more could have been extracted from this theme. Overall impression: 60%. (2008.05.25)