Good Morning, Aman

While Good Morning Aman (2009) is successful in conveying emotion between the main characters Aman (played by Said Sabrie) and Teodoro (played by Valerio Mastandrea), it lacks depth and story content. The film, directed by Claudio Noce, follows Aman, who is a first generation Italian with Somali heritage living and working in Rome, and his developing friendship with former boxer Teodoro. Although there was not enough character development, the acting was believable and compelling.

The unlikely companionship between Aman and Teordor was a good premise for a film; however, their friendship progresses slowly due to their mutual negativity. Most of the film feels as though it is building up to some sort of larger conclusion or resolution, but by the end, it seems that the film is actually more of a character study than a story with a plot. This concept may have been more successful had the film explored deeper into the characters of Aman and Teodoro. However, their characters remain too surface-level for the length of the movie to achieve a deep enough connection with them to make up for the film's lack of a concrete plot.

Although Good Morning Aman has a number of aspects that hold it back from being a great movie, its attempt to portray contemporary themes that are relatable to modern-day Italy is commendable. The film deals with the relevant issue of prejudice towards immigrants, which is seen through the eyes of Aman. This aspect of the film was compelling because it conveyed this issue in a realistic way. For instance, Teodoro has moments of offensive slurs toward Aman, which is especially powerful because the two of them have a friendly relationship. The unfortunate reality of prejudice in Italy makes this film worth watching because it gives the viewer a glimpse into the viewpoint of an immigrant who deals with the difficulty of not belonging or fitting in with the majority of the population of his surroundings and what is like to be reminded of that fact daily. Although it is commendable and noteworthy that the issue of immigration and racial intolerance in Italy is being brought to light by this movie and the Italian film industry in general, this particular film does not suggest any solutions to the issue, which is problematic. Furthermore, it shows Aman accepting the slurs that Teodoro throws at him, which may even be detrimental to the issue.

Another relevant theme that Good Morning Aman attempts to portray is that of the struggle and anxiety of adults in Italy. Due to political, social, and economic reasons, unemployment is an issue facing several Italians today, especially among immigrants who do not have connections that are often unfortunately necessary for Italians to obtain careers. The film's ability to showcase this cultural attitude of anxiety is what makes it both successful and unsuccessful. This is because while the tone of anxiety and the struggle for success is relatable to Italian viewers, it is also one of the main flaws of the movie because it is hard to sit through a full-length film that has a consistent tone of depression and indifference. This tone is portrayed both through the content of the film as well as the close up shots on the characters and the several scenes that have dark lighting. From the beginning of the movie, it is clear that the tone of the film is dramatic and stressful. An example of how the movie is fueled by this tone of stress is Aman's insomnia – a product of his anxiety – is what eventually leads him to meet Teodoro during one of his late night excursions. Even though the tone of this film has a positive impact on its ability to make it feel more realistic, the depressing tone is also what makes the film difficult to hold the attention of the audience.