American film buffs who criticize the movie as "disorganized" and "illogical" simply don't understand cinematic art. It is superbly organized to imitate the boredom of low-to-middle class suburbia populated by the Italian red necks as the murderous swamp. Its immutable logic leads to attempts at murder and, finally, collective suicide.
The ensemble--mostly consisting of kids--plays superbly. Not a single mediocre acting job, and Ileana d'Ambri in a role of mildly retarded soup kitcheness, and Elio Germano in a role of a red neck factory supervisor--stupid, brutish--but loving and caring husband and father are shining. Ileana d'Ambri even may in future substitute Anna Magnani as a neorealist heroine for the XXI century.
This is also stumbling American critical multiverse--the absence of obvious heroes and villains--just the people with their big anxieties and small victories.
The Italian cinema is back after a long hiatus following murder of Pasolini, slow journey of Michelangelo Antonioni into the night, and the death of Fellini!
