The plight of African migrants trying to reach the shores of Italy for a chance at a better life is well-documented. Often exiled or sometimes just left to float at sea in lieu of refuge, the long-term effects of their perilous journey and search for stability is yet unknown, but sure to create lasting damage for the youngest among them. The Life Ahead seeks to examine the life of a fictional young migrant orphaned in Italy in a tender tale of traumatized youth and how empathetic adults who care can transform their lives while also adding to their own.
The Life Ahead is set in seaside Italy, narrated by a young Senegalese Muslim boy named Mohamed (Ibrahima Gueye), or Momo for short. An orphan, Momo has taken to theft and drug sales in order to keep afloat and one day, robs a Holocaust survivor with a daycare business named Madame Rosa (Sophia Loren). At the insistence of his current caretaker, her friend Dr. Coen (Renato Carpentieri), Madame Rosa takes in the 12-year-old street kid Momo in an attempt to provide him with the structure, sternness, and love he needs. The two soon find a shared experience of childhood trauma that brings them closer together.
While the relationship between Rosa and Momo is what The Life Ahead is centered around as a film, the relationship itself centers around their shared traumatic childhoods despite the more than 70 years that separate their formative years. The pain of losing his mother violently at the hands of his father haunts Momo, never allowing him to fully embrace calmness or the carefree spirit expected from a 12 year-old boy. It is no coincidence that the only adult that is able to finally begin to breakthrough to him is one that still feels the lingering effects of their own traumatic experience as a pubescent child, with Rosa’s experiences as a Holocaust survivor shaping her own behavior and slowly creeping back to the surface as she ages. Creating bonds through a shared sense of trauma can often be toxic within a romantic context, but the like experiences that Rosa and Momo have are vital in creating a sense of trust and openness that is needed to break through Momo’s defenses and lead him on a path toward healing. Their connection speaks to the reality of the lives of troubled youth around the globe and the need for mentors and adults that not only care about children who feel a sense of abandonment and lack of love, but can also display the empathy and similar experience that makes these children feel as if they can relate to them and therefore guide them.
In the lead up to the release of The Life Ahead much was made about Sophia Loren’s performance in her first big screen appearance in over a decade. The pre-release buzz was very deserved as Loren shines in her role as the stand-in matriarch for wayward youth trying to make a difference amidst trauma that must appear all too familiar to her own. Loren is able to convey the personality of a woman with a tough exterior that has seen a lot in her old age, but with an underlying warmth that allows people to gravitate toward her, particularly young people in need. Rosa’s emotionality, from her feistiness to her caring spirit to her silent pain over her experiences at Auschwitz is convincingly portrayed by Loren in one of the best and emotional performances of the year. Equally impressive is newcomer Ibrahima Gueye who displays capability as an actor beyond his years. The role calls for a range of emotions from anger to subtle sadness with a dash of youthful imagination and Gueye deftly handles them all. Babak Karimi also shines as a male mentor for Momo, balancing out the up and down relationship between Rosa and the young boy with a caring tenderness that is also needed.
Director Edoardo Ponti has crafted a tender tale of empathy that is sure to generate tears among viewers and given his mother, screen legend Sophia Loren one last opportunity to wow audiences, which she achieves with aplomb. Like two ships passing the night, Loren is joined by a young actor in Ibrahima Gueye that appears poised for success and has begun his ascension through a wonderful chemistry and performance alongside the veteran actress. The Life Ahead is a reminder that sometimes, all we really need is a bit of love and understanding.
Image: Netflix
