Set in Northern Italy in 1983 it's the story of Elio (Timothee Chalamet), a 17-year-old with a passion for books and music who spends his time not really doing a lot while his professor father carries on his work at their summer house.
Elio spends a lot of his time with his friend Marzia, who obviously has a crush on him, and may or may not want to reciprocate.
Enter Oliver (Armie Hammer), an intern who arrives for a six week stay working with Elio's father. Oliver's age isn't specified but it's safe to say he's in his early to mid-20s.
One of the first things Elio notices about Oliver is his confidence but he soon begins to see him as an arrogant American who uses the term 'later' quite bluntly when farewelling a situation.
Elio offers to show Oliver around the area and they strike up some kind of friendship, though it's an uneasy one. There's a great 80s soundtrack including the song Words (by F R David), which as you reflect on the movie later will give you chills, and Love My Way by the Psychedelic Furs plus some very well crafted original music.
Without giving away too much of the good stuff, if there's one thing that's clear in this movie it's that Elio is headed for heartbreak.
He pursues his fling with Marzia as he watches Oliver flirt with other local girls, to the extent that one develops a crush of her own.
It's on a ride into town to pick up something that things get serious. Elio lets it out in a remarkably well crafted scene with a war memorial as a backdrop. He tells Oliver that he doesn't know about the 'things that matter'. It puzzles Oliver, and even moreso when Elio tells him that he wanted him to know he felt that way.
It's a tense point that brings the movie alive after some slow patches which probably serve more to tell you the mood of the setting rather than any major fault.
You know where this is headed....
I have to say that Call Me By Your Name gets better if you take a bit of time to think about what you've seen. And probably see it again.
There's a fantastic scene with Elio talking to his father towards the end of the film. It reminded me of the 'it's not your fault' scene between Robin Williams and Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting. At least it had the same effect.
It seems Elio's father is a lot more attuned to what has been going on in his house than Elio or anyone else may have suspected. But he surprises you.
The scene needs to be watched in its entirety but one line spoke to me more than any other - ''but to feel nothing so as to not feel anything - what a waste''.
Try watching that scene without it doing something to you.
Now it's really easy to pigeonhole this movie as a ''gay film'' or something like that. It's a whole lot more than just a one genre film. There's a bigger story, a better story than just a cheap attempt to attract a certain crowd.
And it's headlined by a masterclass performance from Timothee Chalamet. He's stunning as Elio, he hits all the right notes, even the Italian, he conveys emotion easily without needing words. It's easily the best single acting performance I've seen in some time.
If you like seeing beautifully shot, superbly acted and well crafted drama then this is a must. If you're going to be put off by the themes it's not for you. But, try it out it might just make you feel something.
9/10.
