My Brilliant Friend eps 5 & 6 review, Culture Whisper
Telling reality and fantasy apart is a key part of growing up, but the distinction will always be muddled. The confusion between the two spreads from youth into old age, shown in episodes five and six of My Brilliant Friend: the Story of a New Name.
Lila (Gaia Girace) indulges her romantic fantasies with the breathlessly annoying Nino (Francesco Serpico) while ignoring the idea of confronting her abusive husband Stefano (Giovanni Amura) in Naples. The idyllic Ischian beach offers escape for her, as if Naples didn’t exist. She could swim out with Nino, hold hands, kiss and touch without any repercussions.
Elena (Margherita Mazzucco) acts a rational mediator between them, which is painful considering her enduring feelings for Nino – even trying to form her own reality from the situation. But they rarely listen to Elena’s criticisms, even when they return to Naples in episode six. When Elena tries to reason with them, Lila curtly responds: ‘I’m so happy, don’t put sad ideas into my head.’
