Call Me By Your Name—A Love letter to Youth and Guadagnino’s Hometown

One of the most anticipated films of the year, “Call Me By Your Name,” sweeps moviegoers into the picturesque world of Northern Italy. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Andre Aciman, the movie uses nostalgic music, languid wide shots, and a bright color scheme to immerse the viewer in a detached and dreamlike fantasy.

The film depicts a fleeting love affair between two men, Elio (Timotheé Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer) during a summer in the ‘80s. The two are complete opposites of each other: Elio is a precocious Italian teenager from an intellectual family and is musically talented. He is at once shy, insecure, and confident. Oliver, an older American scholar, is working as an intern for Elio’s father (Michael Stuhlbarg) and staying at the villa for the summer. He seems to be the perfect all-American man: well-built, masculine, and self-assured.

At first Elio is perplexed, or even annoyed, by Oliver’s careless attitude. Toward the beginning of the movie, Oliver tries to show affection by giving Elio a gentle shoulder massage, but Elio shrugs him off, confused and repulsed by his touch. However, he gradually finds himself torturously attracted to this beautiful stranger.

Both are hesitant to reach out to each other at first, for fear of getting hurt. The risks of their relationship inject the tranquil setting with tension, driving the plot forward. Oliver works for Elio’s father, there is an age gap, and same-sex relationships were taboo at the time. Both of them are afraid that the other will be sickened by their interest, fueled by internalized homophobia.

Moreover, misunderstandings lead Oliver to believe that Elio isn’t interested. As Elio laments the wasted days and asks why Oliver didn’t make his attraction clearer from the start, Oliver responds between kisses, “I did, remember when we were playing volleyball, and I touched you? Just to show you that I liked you? The way you reacted made me feel like I molested you.”

But at last, the two overcome their fears, confess their desires, and have a brief but passionate affair over the course of six weeks. As the summer draws to an end, the young lovers inevitably separate.

Instead of directly describing the characters’ internal conflicts, the tension is implicit in the film. The social stigma against same-sex relationships, though not as explicit as outright homophobia, is expressed through subtle word choices and actions. This makes a much more powerful film and maintains the deliberate flow of the serene surroundings.

The beauty of the small Italian town and the intimacy between the main characters are wonderfully expressed by the cinematography. The story unfolds in an otherworldly setting, where the crisp blue skies are lazy and the sun forever shines brightly, as if in slow-motion. The grainy 35mm film captures everything in extreme detail and subtlety. The bright pastel hues that dominate the color palette of the movie create a whimsical time capsule of that summer. The movie’s wide shots patiently capture a vivid portrait of director Guadagnino’s hometown Lombardy—scattered reflections of sunlight through leaves, the tender greens of an apricot orchard, and the pinkish grey color of the ancient stone-paved roads. This ethereal beauty makes the events appear faraway and surreal.

In the opening scene of the movie, Oliver steps out of a car in a light blue shirt, half unbuttoned. His well-built body glistens under the sun, masculine and deified. Elio watches from his window, nonchalant and beautiful. The glorification of the body is a theme prevalent in “Call Me By Your Name,” from the beautiful montage of nude ancient Greco-Roman sculptures that accompanies the opening credits to intimate shots of Oliver and Elio’s intertwined limbs. The classical sculptures combined with the setting of the film force the audience to draw parallels to Hellenistic culture, which idealized the bodies of athletes but also valued intellectual knowledge. This underscores both the physical and intellectual nature of Oliver and Elio’s relationship.

The cinematography also emphasizes this motif in its portrayal of the body. In a closeup, Elio slowly moves his foot toward Oliver’s and playfully steps on it. Oliver responds by doing the same to Elio. In another scene, Oliver shows affection toward Elio for the first time. The two tease each other and laugh over a discussion about classical music while Elio plays the piano. Instantly, we can see the change of his attitude toward the seemingly condescending Oliver. The awkwardness and coyness of first love, as well as a hunger for physical contact are conveyed through small intimacies and body language rather than being explicitly stated.

The allure of their relationship stems from chemistry between Hammer and Chalamet. According to Chalamet, he immediately got along with Hammer on set and they were close both on and off screen. “It was, like, the random luck of the universe where we had just a genuine bond,” Chalamet said.

As a fairly new actor, Chalamet surprised everyone with his stellar performance, earning him Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for best actor. The ambiguity of Oliver and Elio’s relationship is heightened by his acting, every nuanced glance burns with his passion for Oliver. While Oliver is dancing with a girl, Elio watches quietly from his seat and tries to suppress his jealousy, but his half-smile and drooping brows give him away. Later, in a moment of deeply touching realism, he gets up and starts to dance, as if trying to reclaim his position besides Oliver.

Another highlight of Chalamet’s acting is the powerful ending. Elio kneels down by the fireplace, trying to convince himself that he isn't affected by the news of Oliver’s engagement to a woman. He is silent at first, but gradually unable to control himself. His eyes start to well up as the credits start to roll. Their short but passionate affair flashes through his mind while he smiles a bittersweet smile to himself.

Along with Timotheé Chalamet, Stuhlbarg also became an obsession during awards season. His powerful final monologue establishes him as an understanding father figure that has been aware of Elio and Oliver’s love affair all along. As a heartbroken Elio nurses his loss after Oliver has left, they have an emotional conversation about pain, unconditional love, and acceptance. He consoles Elio, advising him, “Right now, there's sorrow, pain. Don't kill it with the joy you've felt.” The empathy and acceptance expressed through the words leave the movie on a hopeful note, suggesting a brighter future for Elio.

This element of idealization distinguishes “Call Me By Your Name” from other movies about gay love. It is not about the difficulties one may face as a queer teenager, but it is purely a love story that celebrates young love and the bliss of two souls coming together.

The audience is left both heartbroken and hopeful at the end of the movie. We can’t help but wonder about the characters’ futures, with that sun-drenched summer still tingling in our minds like a dream.