Something you said last night

Directed by Luis De Filippis, Something you said last night follows aimless twentysomething Renata (Carmen Madonia) as she reluctantly spends a week with her sister (Paige Evans’ Siena) and parents (Ramona Milano’s Mona and Joey Parro’s Guido) at a waterside resort. First-time filmmaker De Filippis, armed with her own screenplay, delivers an exceedingly (and sometimes excessively) low-key drama that is, for the most part, far more compelling than one might’ve initially anticipated, as Something you said last night boasts an irresistibly honest and earnest atmosphere that’s perpetuated (and heightened) by the uniformly captivating performances – with, especially, Madonia’s lived-in, authentic turn as the thoroughly sympathetic protagonist elevating the proceedings on a recurring basis. And although the picture is sometimes just a little too subdued for its own good, Something you said last night benefits from its smattering of engrossing sequences, including an argument that escalates dramatically during a birthday celebration, and the ongoing tension stemming from the central character’s status as a trans female – with, in terms of the latter, De Filippis’ remarkably nonchalant treatment of Renata’s sexuality setting the picture apart from its similarly-themed brethren. The completely satisfying final stretch ensures that Something you said last night concludes on a decidedly positive note, which does, in the end, cement the movie’s place as a better-than-average slice-of-life drama and a strong debut feature for a promising new filmmaker.

*** out of ****