Ode to Passion is musical/drama/romantic movie directed by Jack Danini and starring Giuseppe Bausilio, Julia Nightingale, Jeff Smith.
Love, really?
Ode to Passion follows Michael, who’s belief in true love takes him straight to Sarah, a woman with a tragic past and some very serious problems. Although blissful at first, things get into rocky territory pretty soon.
You can view Ode to Passion in two different lights. Firstly, you can watch it as a timeless romance and what love entails. Secondly, a misogynistic movie that highlights toxic traits and the perils of co-dependency. I happen to fall right in the middle – a hopeless romantic who knows toxicity too well.
That being said, the movie is pretty problematic. Sure, you’d get lost in Michael’s idea of love and love at first sight. However, the man, after spending a maximum of 5 hours with Sarah, announces that he’d want her to be his wife. Which is just, wow. We also have Sarah with huge daddy issues and an addiction problem. She falls into her pit time and again, and instead of getting her help, Michael thinks that he and his love are enough to straighten her out. That might work in a fairy-tale, but in real life, that is seldom the case.
Their love, or toxicity, veiled in romance and passion, get old and annoying far too soon – with the two knocking each other down, only to get back to depending on each other. This is further amplified by Michael, who’s idea of the perfect girlfriend/wife (as understood from the moment he set his eyes on her) makes him think he can change Sarah to his idea of right, and that she will accept it. Life seldom works like this, and if this is something that is happening to you, I’d suggest you run.
Michael and Sarah’s love has the ability to choke you. It’s just always there, trying to drown you and your freedom. I don’t blame Sarah for wanting an out, it’s too much for anyone. And inspite of her terrible habits (because I don’t condone drug use at all) this kind of co-dependency is probably not something anyone needs.
Musicals and romance
Ode to Passion is written in rhyming verse which is enjoyable. The parts which don’t feature a song, the characters continue to rhyme their words. It’s actually quite fun and adds a bit of old-world charm to it.
Apart from Michael and Sarah, we have his best friend John and her best friend Alexa. Both of these characters are poles apart from each other, but have a far more interesting storyline than the lead pair. Honestly, it was refreshing to watch John’s life – he’s an aspiring writer whose luck just isn’t working in his favour. However, his love life and choices make far better sense, and is quite sweet.
On the other hand, we have Alexa. She’s wild and is the definition of free. That girl has a bigger dream than all of the other characters combined and is sexually empowered. But because of that, she’s considered the “bad girl” and a bad influence on Sarah.
Summing up: Ode to Passion
The music in the movie isn’t the greatest, but the indie rock musical goes by, and there are a few songs that might interest you.
Ode to Passion starts to drag a bit after the first hour. Honestly, you know whether this relationship is headed, and you’ll feel glad about it. However, there’s something sweet about Michael trying his best to make a failing relationship work, because we’ve all been there – especially with how the actors portray their emotions on their face.
Despite how bad it is, you’d still want to make it work, and there’s something honest about it. I think I’m happy with the way it ended because there’s something deep and tragically romantic about it.
Watch Ode to Passion here.
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