'Deceitful Love' Netflix Review: A Complex Love Story That Tries Hard To Strike A Chord (2024)

Deceitful Love is the story of a complicated relationship between a woman in her 60s and a boy half her age. I do not intend to age shame, as I do believe two individuals can fall in love irrespective of anything. Still, it is important to specify the ages of the protagonists here as it becomes one of the main hurdles for them, obviously among many other conflicts that they encounter. I personally like it when the characters in a series or film are driven by some philosophy. In Deceitful Love too, over the tenure of 6 episodes, we realize why Gabriella felt the way she did, what was the motivation behind her behavior, which a lot of her family members found extremely reckless, and why she was ready to be deceived but not leave her lover, Elia, at any cost. Personally speaking, I had some problems with the way their relationship began, the way Elia expressed his affection towards Gabriella, and how the makers tried to justify his action, which at times seemed to be extremely toxic and abusive.

So Gabriella owned a hotel, and she led an opulent lifestyle. One day, she found a man standing outside her mansion, whose car had broken down. It was late at night, but she still invited him inside her house as it had started raining. From the word go, that man named Elia seemed suspicious, and I do not blame Gabriella’s son for doubting his intentions after he met him later in the series. Elia found ways to meet Gabriella time and again, and once, when he dropped her home, he forcefully (and yes, I would call it forcefully) kissed her. Gabriella hesitated for a movement but then gave in. Their romance began after that incident, and the creators tried to justify that action in every manner that they could. Now, this is where I had a bit of a problem with the writing, and I felt that the writers tried to glorify abusive behavior in every manner that they could. It was shown that Gabriella was drawn towards Elia, and even after she learned of his real intentions, she didn’t feel like cutting all ties with him. I mean, I do understand that there was a void in her life, and she had never felt so wanted in her entire life, but then again, it is hard for me to overlook the way things transpired between them. After she got to know that Elia’s real intentions were to steal from her, she wanted to be with him, but how could she feel like being with a man who literally forced himself upon her? Nonetheless, Gabriella kept seeing Elia, and her trust oscillated like a pendulum after every action he took. There were moments when she felt like he was the one for her, and then there were times when she felt that he just intended to take advantage of her.

I have to give credit to the writers for the kind of characters they created and how each and every one of them had a purpose to serve. I liked the kind of maturity Giulia, Gabriella’s daughter, showed when she got to know about the kind of dynamics Elia shared with her mother. Giulia was an outspoken woman, and she wasn’t scared to speak her mind. She told her brother that she didn’t feel there was anything wrong with their relationship, even if their mother wanted to pay the man for his company. I mean, morally, she said something that was blasphemous, but still, she questioned the norms set by society and refused to accept them blindly. I liked how Pappi Corsicato wrote his female characters. They were all strong, independent women who fought their own battles and who did not depend upon their male counterparts. Moreover, they weren’t scared to go against the expectations that society placed upon them.

I believe that the casting for Deceitful Love was on point, and it couldn’t have been any better. Monica Guerritore as Gabriella and Giacomo Gianniotti as Elia were exceptional in their respective roles. Monica Guerritore portrayed her character in a nuanced manner that left a long-lasting impact. As for Giacomo Gianniotti, I loved what he did during that part where his character was transforming from a con man to a lover boy. I mean, there were times when I found Elia to be extremely manipulative, and then there was a point where I felt drawn to his sincerity. That said, I felt that some of the subplots were half-baked, and if the creators had given them a little more screen time, then I believe that as a viewer, I would have felt invested in it, too.

Deceitful Love has its weaknesses: it might go a bit overboard at times pertaining to its narrative, the thinking of the characters might not align with that of the viewers, and some actions of the characters might not be justifiable for an individual, but still, it is definitely worth a watch. I believe you should watch it to witness how complex life and relationships can be and to understand that there is no set standard, as a human being can’t be forced to do something just because society thinks it is right.

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'Deceitful Love' Netflix Review: A Complex Love Story That Tries Hard To Strike A Chord (2024)
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