Malena is an absurdly criminalized Italian beauty in the war torn Sicily. She is the ultimate object of sexual fantasy for the village. She is also the goddess for the young boy hero Renato, who comes of age ogling Malena but learns to see in her what no one else can.

Giuseppe Tornatore, the often celebrated Italian director of the acclaimed ‘Cinema Paradiso’, does a fine job in building this story and the charisma of Malena. He keeps us interested and enjoying the story full of sensuality and mischief amidst often overpowering sadness. Unfortunately, Tornatore does not entirely succeed in mixing comedy with sadness and sometimes the movie feels grotesque and tasteless.

Monica Bellucci, a famous model, as Malena is very controlled, sometimes too much to the point of being stiff. She is very attractive and is more or less appropriate for her role.

The story starts with the coming of age of our young hero in the beautiful and adolescent landscapes of Sicily. Here he is introduced to the school teacher, Malena. Malena’s husband has gone to war leaving her alone to fend the ravenous desires of the village folk. Hopelessly scandalized and disgraced, Malena, turns to the Germans for help when they come and occupy the village. But what would happen when the Germans will leave and war will end is anybody’s guess.

The climaxes of the movie deserve special mention. It has two. The first is brutal, strong and filmy. The second is a true masterpiece. It is about the ultimate test of human courage: facing the wrath of perpetrators with a bold face held high by the unshakeable belief in one’s convictions.

Malena is a good movie. It would have been better had it not relied so heavily on the mother/whore cliché or been more consistent with its choice of plot treatment.