Summary
An insightful exploration of womanhood and past memories that can haunt you.
We review the Netflix film Stromboli (2022), which does not contain spoilers.
Stromboli is a lighthearted film about heartbreak and reinventing who you are. After a divorce, Sara goes back to the very island that brought her daughter into this world. She remembers all the good times she had, but she embraces this new chapter.
Even though she meets some interesting people along the way, Sara learns from each of them and adapts to a new lifestyle. This retreat that she finds herself a part of gives her new perspectives and essentially a fresh start that helps her through this tough time.
Many people need to start fresh, escape, or try something new in order to break free of their former selves.
Stromboli Review and Plot Summary
Stromboli is about this recently divorced woman who decided to register for a ‘From Fear to Love’ retreat on the Italian volcanic island of Stromboli. She is then confronted with her painful past that she has been trying to hide. She tries to distract herself the best that she can while on this retreat, but no matter what she does, her past comes back to haunt her.
It’s nice to see a woman at the forefront trying to navigate her past by pushing forward and trying different things. She has a tie to the island because of her husband and her daughter. She tries to enjoy the moments on the island, but memories creep in. It’s a complex performance by Elise Schaap because she has to hold her emotions inward while engaging with others on the island.
Even when she sees young girls on the island, she is reminded about her life as a young adult and then even her daughter. She doesn’t feel desirable anymore, and men on the island don’t treat her as she should be treated.
Is Stromboli good?
Stromboli is a good film that shows the complexity of motherhood and womanhood as Sara (Schaap) explores this new chapter of her life. It’s a bit choppy, but it shows how messy her mind is and how much her life is falling apart on this island.
It seems as if things continue to go wrong for her on the island, and she can’t have one good thing happen. She seems exhausted with everyone and everything. It’s an interesting journey to take with Sara because the audience does get to know her as the film goes on, and little pieces of her past come through.
There are some unique choices made as she explores this new side of her after the divorce, and she’s more of a free spirit than she thought she was. There are many men on the island that she encounters as well that change her perspective on relationships and men in general. This film explores so much of Sara and what she’s capable of without her husband.
What did you think of the Netflix film Stromboli (2022)? Comment below.
