Approaching the halfway point of this final season of My Brilliant Friend and I love seeing these two women live fully adult lives. Sometimes I might question some of their choices, but I can’t deny that they are full-grown women making these choices for themselves and their families. Being along for the whole journey has been fun. Excited to see what’s next!
- The Fracture
Immacolata (Annarita Vitolo, pictured) isn’t doing well. She’s struggling and she wants Lenu (Alba Rohrwacher) to get Lila (Irene Maiorino) to help her brothers. The Solaras have brought drugs into the neighborhood and these two idiots got roped into dealing. Lenu even sees it in action. Man, I’ve been disappointed in my siblings before but I can’t imagine turning the corner and just seeing them selling drugs. Yeah, I’d probably go the Imma route and smack them too. Meanwhile, Ada (Fabiana Fazio) is working for Lila and Enzo (Pio Stellaccio) so Lenu sees her when she stops in. “Lies are better than tranquilizers.” Ok, you know what Lila? I’m not really sure what to do with that…
It’s fascinating to see the shift in time. Seeing the girls grow up in the ’50s, but now we’ve hit 1980. TV’s and music videos and more. We see Nino (Fabrizio Gifuni) with the girls and it’s clear that he cares but there are limits to that care. He’s not their father. And he’s not around enough to be considered one. He flits in and out as he pleases. What kind of example are they really seeing for successful, loving relationships?
Luckily they have Pietro (Pier Giorgio Bellocchio) who continues to be there for Elena, even as she’s pregnant with another man’s child. It genuinely drives me crazy that Elena let this man out of her life for a shitheel like Nino. He never had a chance! Just like Marco. Her heart was always Nino’s and she never tried to make room for another. They had their issues but he was always there as a father and even as a friend for Elena. But he finds his happiness so that’s all that matters. But it’s go-time and poor Elena has to drive herself to the hospital in labor. My god, nothing has given me stress harder than that scene. I can’t stand horror films, but nothing put me on edge harder than wondering if this woman was going to crash her car – the epitome of suspense. But she was alone for the drive and she’s alone for labor and my god, Elena, this is a pretty APT remark on your situation here! You are completely and utterly alone and you don’t get it yet.
Nino finally makes it and continues his silvery-tongued whispers in Elena’s ear. “I can’t live without you.” What was it Lila said about lies being tranquilizers? You don’t live with her now, Nino. She’s a casual piece you visit from time to time. But Pietro calls and checks in on Elena, making sure to bring the girls so they can meet their new sister. Meanwhile, Nino is insisting on baptism. Are you serious? This is a child out of wedlock which is not your first child out of wedlock. Your other bastards aren’t baptized, as Lenu brings up. Go baptize your other illegitimates first and then we can come back around to Imma.
Speaking of Imma, she gets to meet her namesake. What a beautiful scene. Elena and her mother have always had a rough relationship. Imma was hard on Elena because she saw the most promise. She believed her daughter could go do great things and she didn’t want her to be brought down by the shitty neighborhood or the shitty boys from the neighborhood (COUGH NINO COUGH). So while Imma does not love that Nino got Elena pregnant, she knows Elena will keep fighting for her family no matter what she needs to do. But suddenly it’s a medical emergency and Lila and Nino are rushing Imma to the hospital and Elena’s imagination starts running wild…
Because here’s the unfortunate part that Elena hasn’t dealt with: she already doesn’t trust Nino; she just doesn’t want to acknowledge it to herself yet. Because Lila has made it clear what she thinks and feels for Nino. She can’t fucking stand him. So if Elena suddenly feels like there’s something going on between them, where did that broken trust come from? Maybe from the already-married man who sleeps around? Regardless, the family is all up in a fit. Marcello (Lino Musella, pictured) is throwing his weight around. “What’s Lila got to do with it?” Seriously? As if everything isn’t about the neighborhood power struggle! You shit heels flooded the neighborhood with drugs and she’s one of the few people to stand up to you. Connected to Elena’s family or not, Lila is trying to protect the neighborhood from your destruction. Because you two would step over your own mother to make yourselves richer.
- The Cheat
Back at the hospital with Lenu and Alfonso (Renato De Simone), we get more of a sense of Lila and Alfonso’s relationship. As they explain to Elena, Lila always saw Alfonso for who they truly wanted to be. And lets Alfonso be who they need to be. But Marcello doesn’t like it. “If I get killed, remember it was Marcello.” Even Alfonso knows danger could be around any corner. And what a terror to live with every moment of every day…
Unfortunately, while Lila is watching baby Imma while Elena is at the hospital, she goes into labor. Love that neighbor woman for always being around. It takes a village. Seriously. Lila does not have a joyous labor, as expected. But it’s a girl and Lila’s smiling.
Grandma Immacolata is throwing down some law with her sons before she kicks it. I bet she could still whup the two of them. But Elena is finally feeling the time and then she’s gone and suddenly life is still going. Speaking as someone who lost a parent suddenly, losing a parent unmoors you a little bit before centering you. Everyone in the neighborhood attends the funeral, even Nino. And speaking of grief providing focus, Elena is beginning to see Nino for the annoying prick he is. He is always irritated by men, yet always charmed by ladies. Wonder why that is… But even the dinner with Elena’s publisher and his wife, Nino and the man clash constantly but oh, he’s all smiles for the wife. Elena asks him one night if he’s ever met a “bitch” and he said, “Lila.” And I wonder why that is…
But they’re still cohabitating, or rather, Nino occasionally sleeps there when he’s not at home with his first family. Elena needed help with the place so they hired an older woman who seemed perfectly fine for the task. She reminds Elena that Imma needs more diapers and Elena mentions she’ll pick them up after dropping the girls off at school. However, she gets sidetracked and ends up meandering a bit. She thinks about an idea for her next book and finally remembers the diapers, grabs them, and gets home. Great 
cinematography through this scene as the bomb is truly dropped. Having the help bent over in the bathroom right in front of your girlfriend sure does seal the deal that you are absolutely scum of the Earth. But as I’ve always said, like father, like son. Nino learned well. I would argue potentially even outdoing Donato (Emanuele Valenti), but I couldn’t tell you what his full transgressions are. Regardless, the scene of a fleeing Elena holding her baby daughter and just watching her cry was something. Hits you directly in the gut. She runs to Lila, of course, who comes clean about everything. Nino tried to hit up Lila when they were at the hospital and before that. Does anybody want to contact the Solaras for a hit?
With Nino truly showing his full self, it’s anyone’s guess what Elena will do next. If she’s running home to Lila, it stands to reason she could potentially go back. She might be in Naples but she’s not in the neighborhood. Your support system is still a car ride away, not a floor up. I’ve truly come to appreciate what it means to have family and people nearby that you can trust. Having a support system close by can make so much of life easier, but Elena doesn’t always choose easy, does she? Can’t wait to see what she chooses next!
Our look at MY BRILLIANT FRIEND will continue soon. Find the series on HBO & in the HBO Hub on Max.
