Giorni e Nuvole (Days and Clouds) (2007)

81% of critics liked it
(32 reviews)
62% of users liked it
(503 ratings)

In Bread and Tulips, director Silvio Soldini detailed the journey of a discontented housewife who threw caution to the wind to find true happiness in Venice; in Days and Clouds, the same filmmaker explores the opposite side of the coin by telling the tale of a middle-class homemaker from Genoa who… More In Bread and Tulips, director Silvio Soldini detailed the journey of a discontented housewife who threw caution to the wind to find true happiness in Venice; in Days and Clouds, the same filmmaker explores the opposite side of the coin by telling the tale of a middle-class homemaker from Genoa who suddenly finds her life turned upside down. Elsa (Margherita Buy) is the picture of middle-class contentment: she's happily married, well adjusted, and spends most of her spare time developing her skills as an amateur historian specializing in restoration. Recently, Elsa even decided to return to school in order to earn her degree. One day, after gently scraping the ceiling of a local chapel to reveal hidden angels that hadn't seen the light of day in decades, Elsa is informed by her husband, Michele (Antonio Albanese), that the couple will have to give up their posh apartment. Michele was formerly a partner in a successful shipping firm, but now that his partner has forced him out of the business, the happy husband and wife won't be able to maintain their current lifestyle. In the aftermath of that disheartening revelation, Elsa and Michele both try to find work while dealing with the predicament in directly opposing ways. Later, after moving into a much smaller apartment, the cracks in Elsa and Michele's now fragile marriage gradually begin to widen. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Directed By: Silvio Soldini
Written By: Doriana Leondeff
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Oct 26, 2007 Wide
Studio: Film Movement

Critic Reviews

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
Days and Clouds, despite its darkness, warmly reminds us that if we have each other, sometimes that's all we need.
John Anderson, Washington Post
Days and Clouds serves as a primer in coping with depression, financial and/or personal. But it is stirring, serious and, ultimately, mercifully optimistic cinema.
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
The movie's success in Italy is partly a matter of frustration: Women need their men to grow up.
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times
An intelligent adult drama that's especially relevant in these harsh economic times.
Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle
This is a portrait of nerve-racking economic times, and it cuts close to the bone in detailing how a marriage suffers when its financial underpinnings are suddenly knocked away.
Stephen Holden, New York Times
A brave film simply for daring to portray a nightmare lurking in the minds of middle-aged workers, people who might fear a film that addresses their insecurities this bluntly.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's not a film for those who go to movies to escape life.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
Well intentioned yet utterly dull...
Kam Williams, NewsBlaze
Plausibly-scripted and well-acted, this telling tale proves to be decidedly timely, given the world economy's currently teetering on the brink of a widespread recession.
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
draws viewers in close and never relinquishes its grip
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope
This kind of story is happening much more frequently with the economic recession that is affecting much of the world now.
Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
... or all the emotional integrity and observational exactness, it's more social study than character drama.
Stan Hall, Oregonian
Evidently we aren't the only ones feeling nervous about the economy.
Tricia Olszewski, Washington City Paper
Elsa and Michele's story is such a deft study of what can make a relationship go to pieces that it's a satisfying watch in spite of all the bitterness.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
a thought-provoking and powerful story that will appeal to mature audiences and those who appreciate fine filmmaking...that is worth laying out 12 bucks to see it at the theater.
Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews
Soldini gets at all the nuances of a marriage of many years in crisis, and, without a typical 'happy' ending where all worries are neatly resolved, wraps with hopeful poetry...
Brent Simon, Los Angeles Daily News
Little is surprising about either characters' behavior, but there isn't a single anguished expression that plays forced or false.
Ella Taylor, L.A. Weekly
It plays out more like a 12-step program than a human drama.
Jules Brenner, Cinema Signals
What seemed at first a provocative study of a family tragedy becomes a two-hour immersion into minutiea until you start thinking that the exits are where the action is.
Kam Williams, NewsBlaze
Dude, where's my wife and job?

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Featured Audience Ratings

Cynthia S

This movie goes well with our current economic downfall. It serves as a reminder that losing a job can happen to anybody, and life can change over night. In the end we have to face the reality, pick up the pieces, and move on with our life. However, It's not nearly as engaging or… More
This movie goes well with our current economic downfall. It serves as a reminder that losing a job can happen to anybody, and life can change over night. In the end we have to face the reality, pick up the pieces, and move on with our life. However, It's not nearly as engaging or dramatic as other Italian flicks....it's very quiet, and not much happens.
Stefanie C

a relevant film for these turbulent economic times. a story of loss, identity crises, reinvention, and core values. the final shots of the uncovered fresco leave the viewer hopeful.
Mark A

A bit depressing, this tale tells the story of a couple dealing with job loss and shattered dreams. Michele (Antonio Albanese) is forced out of the business he started with his friend and partner. He delays telling his wife, Elsa (Margherita Buy), for two months, until after her… More
A bit depressing, this tale tells the story of a couple dealing with job loss and shattered dreams. Michele (Antonio Albanese) is forced out of the business he started with his friend and partner. He delays telling his wife, Elsa (Margherita Buy), for two months, until after her graduation with an art degree. The film details the downward spiral as Michele loses hope and ambition and finally succumbs to what appears to be depression. Meanwhile, Elsa must put her hopes and dreams on hold as the major responsibility for the family finances falls to her. Not all is darkness, as a glimmer of hope begins to return by the end, but there is darkness aplenty here. The acting is superb. The scenery and camera work are nothing short of brilliant. The emotions are raw and palpable. The story will hit close to home for anyone facing an uncertain future in the present economy.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"Days and Clouds" starts with Elsa(Margherita Buy) graduating from college when she passes her oral exams. As bad as the hangover and glass shard in her foot are the morning after, they cannot begin to compare to the agony of finding out that her… More
[font=Century Gothic]"Days and Clouds" starts with Elsa(Margherita Buy) graduating from college when she passes her oral exams. As bad as the hangover and glass shard in her foot are the morning after, they cannot begin to compare to the agony of finding out that her husband Michele(Antonio Albanese) lost his job months ago at the company he helped found, lying to her in the bargain.(He did not tell their grown daughter, Alice(Alba Rohrwacher), either and they do not plan on doing so.) Worse still, they are running out of money, forcing them to put their house on the market. In the meantime, Elsa stays on at her unpaid restoration job while Michele turns down a job as a production manager, feeling something better is right around the corner...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Days and Clouds" is a perceptive drama about the psychological effects which can be almost as bad as the financial effects of losing one's job. It is especially difficult for Michele and Elsa since they are middle-aged and it is harder for them to start over. As time goes on, pride becomes a luxury as they cannot be choosy about the the type of work offered. And in these circumstances Michele's lying becomes almost understandable but he still should have come clean with everybody.[/font]
Richard F

A tad slow and uneventful, but has a big heart. "The Pursuit of Happyness" was a bit more emotionally charged and more filled with conflict than this film. Still, the idea of love conquering all resonates with the viewer long after the credits have rolled.

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Giorni e Nuvole (Days and Clouds) (2007)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Cynthia S

Stefanie C

Mark A

Walter M

Richard F

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