A mediocre misfire
Netflix’s latest original, Circeo Massacre, attempts to piece together the events leading up to this atrocious crime back in the 1970’s. Based on the Circeo Massacre, the Catholic School could have been a really well written thriller. ..
In the film, we follow the detectives as they try to piece together what happened in a small town in upstate New York that went dark after a group of kids were kidnapped. The story is full of suspense and horror, as we learn more about the suspects and the events that led to their capture.
In a prestigious all-male Catholic high school in Rome, Director Stefano Mordini takes his time to introduce each of the kids, fleshes out their family history and throws them into the midst of the chaos that eventually ensues. ..
The film does well to mix in themes of masculinity, religion, sexuality, toxicity and exploring the origins of evil, but the format and presentation are both disjointed and haphazard. The boys are introduced in quick session early on, and that problem is only exacerbated by the constant jumps through time, accompanied by text like “5 months before”, “136 hours before” etc.
The film’s structure is bizarre and hurts its pacing. A more linear structure would have helped build up tension for the massacre. ..
The film’s early scenes are packed with a large number of characters, and the movie takes its time to try and figure out who all these people are. ..
While other kids in the school are featured, the focus of the drama revolves around a select few students. Arbus is the smart one with a pretty sister who fellow student Edo has a crush on. Jervi is your typical bad boy with a motorcycle and leather jacket. There’s also Gioacchino Runmo who comes from a strict Catholic family. And naturally, he longingly wants Jervi and finds himself conflicted about his sexuality. ..
The film does a good job of exploring the characters and their psyches, but it can be difficult to find standout moments.
The acting from all involved is pretty good and that certainly ties into the costume and production design too, which certainly bleed into the 70’s aesthetic. However, all of this accounts for nothing, given the screenplay plays cohesiveness.
Ultimately, The Catholic School falls short in its attempt to be exceptional. The jumps back and forth in time are confusing and don’t help the pacing, which often slows down under the pressure of expectation. Unfortunately, this is a missed opportunity. ..
