A visceral descent into the sun-scorched underbelly of Ostia, where the neon haze of drug-fueled ecstasy meets the cold, grey pavement of a desperate redemption, echoing the final, tragic whisper of a cinematic poet.

Don't Be Bad

Non essere cattivo

08 September 2015 Italy 102 min ⭐ 7.8 (1,013)

Director: Claudio Caligari

Cast: Luca Marinelli, Alessandro Borghi, Silvia D'Amico, Roberta Mattei, Alessandro Bernardini

Drama Crime

Brotherhood and Loyalty Redemption vs. Determinism The Decay of the Pasolinian Subproletariat Addiction and Escapism

Don't Be Bad - Movie Quotes

Memorable Quotes

Non essere cattivo.

— Multiple characters (Implicit/Explicit motif)

Context:

Derived from common parental admonishment, it echoes throughout the film as a plea for the characters to retain some shred of humanity.

Meaning:

The title serves as an ironic mantra. In the context of the film, it represents the simplistic moral advice adults give to children, which becomes tragically complex when applied to adults trapped in a brutal, systemic poverty.

Una storia degli anni novanta. Quando finisce il mondo pasoliniano.

— Claudio Caligari (Director's Note)

Context:

Often used in promotional materials and reviews to describe the film's relationship to Amore Tossico and L'odore della notte.

Meaning:

This quote frames the film's historical importance as the final chapter of a trilogy and the end of an era for the Roman subproletariat.

Ma che ce frega... volemo solo divertisse.

— Cesare

Context:

Said during one of the early scenes of drug use and partying in Ostia.

Meaning:

Expresses the hedonistic nihilism of the characters before their paths diverge; a refusal to accept the boredom of a worker's life.

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