Perfect Strangers

I was reminded of the dialogue from the sitcom Black Books: "Do you remember who all was at that dinner?" "I don't. Him and his friends. You know, the sort of people who talk about salad for five hours." Which indirectly captures the problem with Perfect Strangers. I didn't care about the characters. With one bright exception, it's just a bland gathering of upper-middle-class Italian hypocrites whose standard topics are food, drink, vacations, health, and each other's relationships. What then happens to these two-legged Elle catalogues as a result of their own boredom and disenchantment is truly irrelevant. So what can you do with them. Moreover, the whole thing is really just a stage play, with the film format bringing absolutely nothing extra to the table. For a truly bitter tragicomedy that can work formally within the limited space of a single apartment, I'd instead invite you to join the Hajdu family party in It's Not the Time of My Life. (28/07/2017)

Perfect Strangers is an excellent conversational film built on a simple yet original idea escalated by some surprising twists. True, Woody Allen or Roman Polanski would have given it the unique poetics of a great filmmaker, but can’t we do without that? The success of the conventional form is all the more appreciated when it is due “only” to the right cast, brisk pace and striking socially significant moments. The call from the 17-year-old daughter is the emotional, human peak of the film, while the earrings scene is the best moment of the film’s comical side. And there is a nice ending in the style of La La Land. I think an American remake, which would get a rating of about 68% on this website, is more than likely (with Bateman, Sudeikis, Vergara et al?). (05/05/2017)

An Italian single-location film that was surprisingly enjoyable. I find games like truth or dare pathetic, but this version enhanced by cellphones was downright suicidal. For example, I'd love to see Sofia's reaction if she found out with whom daddy shared their private conversation. The creators did an excellent job portraying the individual characters and I really enjoyed the conclusion which unraveled the alternative version of the story. I was completely satisfied. (06/01/2020)

Perfect Strangers starts as a light and enjoyable relationship comedy about a group of long-time friends who, along with their partners, come to a party wanting to forget their worries, reminisce about the past, and enjoy the lunar eclipse undisturbed by their kids. Playful banter and a relaxed atmosphere lead to a foolish idea of revealing their privacy (after all, they have nothing to hide from each other) and conducting their phone calls with the speaker on. The voices of dissenting parties are silenced - those who disagree have something to hide. Soon skeletons start coming out of the closet, characters are exposed, and communication begins to dangerously falter. Positive emotions are replaced by distrust and bitterness. The comedy subtly becomes a moralistic drama. It is accurate and true to life, but I feel that for this film it applies more than to others that you need to have some life experience to fully enjoy it. It is simply a film for the middle generation who knows what a mid-life crisis is. I liked both the comedic and dramatic aspects, and I also appreciated the civility of the performances and the fresh quality of the actors. It is a movie that I will definitely come back to in the future. Overall impression: 90%. (06/06/2017)

An excellent Italian conversational comedy that gets progressively more and more dramatic. The main idea is very original and I'm sure that many of us have thought about how such an evening might turn out in our case. The film makes you think about how many secrets we actually have and how much we pretend to be somobody else in front of the others. (10/07/2023)