I read somewhere that Barbara Bialowas and Tomasz Mandes’ 365 Days is a more extreme version of 50 Shades of Grey. It possesses dark and ruthless sexual undertones that fuel the fire beneath the main character--in this case Massimo (Michele Morrone). I cannot speak to the comparison between the two films as I have never seen or read anything related to the 50 Shades series. The story here, however, is uniquely compelling. Massimo has found who he believes to be the love of his life, Laura (Anna Maria Sieklucka) and will do whatever it takes to make sure that she falls in love with him. His methods are, to say the least, unorthodox. Massimo kidnaps Laura and gives her three hundred and sixty-five days to fall in love with him. He lays out the rules and explains that she is to stay with him for an entire year to develop feelings for him. If after one year she does not find herself in love with him, the trial is over. With all things put in place and Laura’s previous life all but erased, their sexual and romantic escapade begins. Will Massimo’s plan to gain the love and respect of the woman of his dreams work, or will he be left with nothing to show for his ventures?
Sure, sex is enough to drive a story and entice a great number of people, however, what makes 365 Days so appealing on the surface is the fact that Massimo has a dark story to tell, as he is intertwined in the Sicilian Mafia. He is a dark and mysterious character that appeals to many. Audiences are immediately enticed by Morrone’s character as they quickly understand that there is more to the character than initially appears on the surface. Knowing there is more to him allows audiences to want to learn more about him, and it keeps them engaged through his asinine charades. His story is appealing, but takes entirely too long to develop and forces audiences to focus strictly on the sexual aspect of the film. With this comes incredible disappointment.
The sex scenes appear over-scripted and lifeless, potentially losing some audiences along the way. There is no passion, there is nothing to say to audiences that these sexual encounters are real, and audiences find a severe disconnect when watching these scenes. Both Marrone and Sieklucka appear to be simply moving motions without any regard for the audience’s thoughts or emotions. Based strictly on these scenes, it is easy to say that both actors lack talent and that they do not possess the ability to convey certain emotions or relay the appropriate information to audiences. Sadly, the rest of the film helps to support those thoughts; the two show glimpses of proficiency but are unable to accurately do what is asked of them throughout. With all of that being said, it seems that the casting choices made by Agata Biedrzycka and Mandes actually work well. Ethnicity is important in 365 Days as Massimo comes from Sicily and Laura from Warsaw. Their worlds collide and there is much talk about where they come from using terms familiar only to those who speak Polish and/or Italian. Their accents make parts of the film appear more realistic when their acting does not do the job, and their broken English adds to the illusion that they are who they claim to be. They fit their roles beautifully, but they struggle to deliver on a number of levels in terms of their acting.
While there are many aspects of the film that are difficult to appreciate, the music, in many ways, helps rectify some of these issues. I find the music in 365 Days to be full of energy and create levels of excitement throughout Massimo and Laura’s journey. Even in the dullest of moments, the musical choices made by Mateusz and Michael Sarapata bring the story to life and give the audiences something to hold onto. The musical choices help to keep me engaged in the film when other aspects fail to deliver. In the end, much of what is built up for over an hour and a half fails to meet expectations, and the periodic ineptitude of the two leads leaves audiences unhappy with the finished product. Bialowas and Mandes have a compelling story in their back pocket (thanks to author Blanka Lipinksa), but fail to bring that story to life in a way that compels audiences to stay focused on or appreciate what is in front of them.
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