First off this movie is SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW or as industry executives say "builds." Don't expect the typical Hollywood love story coming together 30 minutes in. Oh no they make you wait which I have come to appreciate about the film.
It's about a boy name Elio (played perfectly awkward by Timothee Chalamet from Lady Bird). Elio is a half-Jew, half-italian teen in the 80s who comes to Italy with his parents each year while his college professor dad hosts a student for the summer. This summer it's Oliver (played by Armie Hammer) who stays with the family. At first he comes off very gruff and not very accepting of the italian culture which of course pisses Elio off. Obviously they fall in love and the ending isn't very Hollywood either.
So my HUGE problem with this story. 1) Elio is 17 and Oliver is in his 20s. As a member of the LGBTQIA this borders on pedophilia which the homophobic straight community LOVES to do. They feel gays will turn other straight guys gay, and they also feel transwomen are simply straight men in women's clothing out to molest little girls. Having dealt with Kevin Spacey coming out and saying he doesn't remember hitting on 14 year old Anthony Rapp when he was 26 sparked the pedophilia discussion all over again. Now this movie is on that fine line. I wish they were both in college (Elio a freshman and Oliver a senior). 2) I despises Brokeback Mountain because it was about cheaters that hookup secretly. This movie although masterfully attempted feels like it wants to be about lovers that can't be together. Where were the stolen glances or longing dreams? If you want to break my heart show me a better version of BM. 3) I apologize but this is a bit of a spoiler but I HAVE to address it. Elio's parents are very liberal and his dad secretly comes out as having had gay feelings in the past to Elio. NO NO NO NO! It makes it seem like being gay is hereditary. Just NO! 4) Elio isn't a precocious teen. He loves Oliver but hurts someone else which AGAIN raises the topic "if you know you're gay why hurt others?" It's like men getting married to women even though they know they are gay. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR these things irked me to my core. And if you are part of the LGBTQIA community you'd get that and not see this as romantic. It was a homophobe's worst nightmare...as well as ours.
I get that this was based on a book I've never read. I wish the screenwriter took more liberties to correct these issues. The screenplay feels like it was written by a straight man. I just wasn't loving the script. I still don't get the title even though there's a line in it, but meh.
HOWEVER the performances were sublime. I will say till I'm dead Armie Hammer was robbed of an Oscar nomination and win for his role in J. Edgar (now that was a well-written gay love story WRITTEN by an openly gay Oscar winner named Dustin Lance Black); and I pray he gets his nod for this movie. Timothee carried this movie tho; he's been in two movies this year and I want him to win SOMETHING! He earned an Oscar nod mos def. He's intense...and I'll never look at an apricot quite the same way ever again. Also worth noting Michael Stuhlbarg as Elio's dad (although I don't agree with his character's backstory) gave the one speech in the movie that brought me to tears. It's funny because I still see him as that weirdo from MIB3, but he absolutely nailed it in his role; he too deserves accolades.
Overall a good film. I felt they spent too much time pushing Italy and its beauty in our face over telling the story of these two. But again a good film...
Update: I will have to eat my words on this. If you watch "Dirty Dancing" Baby is 17 and Johnny Castle is in his 20s. That's a "classic."