“360” is a modern and stylish kaleidoscope of interconnected love and relationships linking characters from different cities and countries in a vivid, suspenseful and deeply moving tale of romantic life in the 21st century.

Starting in Vienna, the film beautifully weaves through Paris, London, Bratislava, Rio, Denver and Phoenix into a single, mesmerising narrative. From a simple decision made by one man – to remain faithful to his wife – springs a series of consequences.
From uplifting, beautiful and romantic moments through to desperate, confused and conflicted interludes, each protagonist in 360 has their own vivid, entertaining, funny, tragic narrative as their stories entwine across the globe.

Director Fernando Meirelles is delighted to open the BFI once again (as in 2005 with ‘The Constant Gardner’): “In the past decade I’ve been to the BFI London Film Festival six times, some of them as a guest, and some as part of the audience. The BFI London Film Festival is one of the best festivals in the world due to its selection of films and the number of theatres the films are shown in. I am very honoured 360, an intimate film that talks about our options in life, has been chosen to open the Festival this year.”

Despite the high expectations the general response was quite disappointing. The adaptation of Arthur Schnitzel’s play ‘Reigen’ seems to fall apart. The Guardian sentenced “Not even Anthony Hopkins and Rachel Weisz can save Peter Morgan’s creaky, cliche-ridden ensemble drama.”
How to blame such crude remarks.

The circular study of modern couplings that expands the inquiry of Arthur Schnitzler’s 1897 play to a global scale doesn’t actually find much new to say about love. Besides, the cold and cerebral approach leads you to watch the film rather than getting absorbed by it. What goes around comes around, and the characters reap what they have sown.

The initial quote stolen to baseball player Yogi Berra sets the mood of the entire story: “If there’s a fork in the road, take it.” Carpe Diem is the general spur, go for it because you only live once.
Platitude rules indeed.

by Chiara Spagnoli

Related Images: