One of the aspects of this movie that stuck out to me the most is the way that it makes apparent the difference in values between cultures. In the US, a good amount of people are driven by their desire for success. Our culture here emphasizes money, power, and career success a lot more than in Italy. In America, people always seem to be trying to climb a ladder, whether they're climbing towards a promotion, a raise, or something of material value. The Best of Youth demonstrated that in Italy, people's values center more around family, companionship, and support from others. From the very beginning, it became obvious that none of the characters were living or working to just make more money or achieve a higher position of power. The characters constantly had a strong web of support available to them from every part of their life. In Matteo's case, he did not take advantage of this support, which was a great tragedy in this movie. But even though he continued to isolate himself for years, pushing away his family, Mirella, and anyone who cared for him, they were still waiting with open arms every time he wandered back into their lives.
This movie shows that part of the human condition is needing love from those around you. When love was absent in Matteo's life, it led him to feel extremely isolated, and eventually to end his own life. When Giulia left Nicola and Sara, she rid herself of any love in her life, and this had consequences on her mental health and well-being for the rest of the movie. When we see Giulia and Sara meet in one of the final scenes, Giulia refuses to visit Sara until the baby is born. This is because she feels guilty for leaving in the first place, feeling as if she cannot face those people again, and also that she does not know how to really love people and let them in anymore. Another example of this is when Matteo's mother begins to decline after his death; she was living on her own, suffering through her grief, and we can see in the classroom setting that it takes a toll on her mental well-being, However, when Nicola shows up and brings her to her grandson, she finds a new reason to live and to love. I think that this is one of the most beautiful aspects of the movie: the mother's healing. I was not sure that she was going to recover after Matteo's death, as she was nearing the end of her life and seemed to be extremely depressed, even when trying to continue on with her life. But when she meant Andrea, she began smiling again, allowing herself to feel hope and love for this new family she had found.
I also really loved the symbolism of Matteo's son. I think it's beautiful that the makers of this movie created a way for Matteo to live on in the hearts and minds of those who loved him. I especially appreciated the symbolism of Andrea completing the journey to Norway. When Matteo left Nicola at the train station, it was the moment when the two brothers' lives split off permanently. The fact that his son chose to continue and complete that journey made me feel like he was completing what his father never did while also avoiding going down a damaging life path as Matteo had. I think that showing this journey was a beautiful and hopeful way to end the movie and bring everything that happened in the film into a full-circle perspective.
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