Yikes, but what part of the Italian legal establishment doesn't come in for some pillorying from Marco Bellochio in this film? It all centres around judge "Mauro" (Michel Piccoli) and his ailing sister "Marta" (Anouk Aimée) who has pretty much brought him up. She isn't coping so well with reality and is frequently prone to suicidal flights of fancy until, that is, he introduces her to the rather roguish actor "Giovanni" (Michele Placido) to whom she takes a bit of a shine. It's the first time her brother hasn't been the sole focus of her attentions since they were children, so despite himself he starts to become a little jealous. He's not a man without influence around town, so decides to use that to ensure that this little fly in his familial ointment is duly swatted. There's a grand dynamic between the three characters as they are used to take swipes at family politics, envy and resentment and we also manage to have a go at some entertainingly small town provincial politics, petty corruption and eccentricities as this two hours really does fly by. It does play a little to stereotypes of age and attitude at times, and is maybe just a bit over-scripted but it's a slightly quirkier look at flawed domesticity and Aimée looks like she enjoyed herself for most of it.

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