Summary
18 Presents is for a rainy, gloomy day — a heavy-hitting drama served to leave you in bits.
Netflix Italian film 18 Presents was released on the platform on May 8, 2020 — this review contains no spoilers.
18 Presents tells the story of an expectant mother who finds out she has terminal cancer. She leaves her unborn daughter 18 sentimental gifts for every birthday until she reaches womanhood. You may recognize the mother Elisa, played by Vittoria Puccini, who recently starred in the hit Netflix TV series The Trial — a hit mostly due to the breathtaking performance of the actress.
And 18 Presents is the same. Vittoria Puccini hits it out of the park, soaking in a character that does not have much time to live, pained with leaving a daughter behind that has to face the world she was once happy in. The story mostly follows the daughter Anna, played by Benedetta Porcaroli, who equally storms the screen for this emotionally-driven story.
The base of the Netflix film sets up the viewer for an acutely upsetting 20 minutes. The film places weight on your mind — the importance of motherhood and the complexities of growing up not knowing who your mother was apart from gifts left behind. There is a unique twist that veers from the general premise of 18 Presents but the concept remains the same. The Netflix film is a tearjerking story ripe for America’s Mother’s Day.
Many will complain when the runtime is revealed but it’s genuinely a film where time means little as it gives time for the character’s to breathe and recognize the moment they are in. 18 Presents is somewhat patient in allowing the cast to let a scene play out — there’s no rushed dialogue. It’s naturalistic — a drama delivered in the best way, ready for the emotional turmoil to come.
If you are not in the mood for an emotionally heavy drama, then it’s tempting to press play just to witness the spellbinding performances of Vittoria Puccini and Benedetta Porcaroli. 18 Presents is for a rainy, gloomy day — a heavy-hitting drama served to leave you in bits.
