Storie Di Ordinaria: Follia

At its core, the film is a masterclass in the study of isolation. It dives deep into several central themes:

Gazzara brings an incredible, gravelly, and intelligent magnetism to the role. However, Bukowski himself famously hated Gazzara's performance. The real Bukowski felt Gazzara looked "too healthy, too vital, and terribly sane"—lacking the genuine, physically rotting desperation of a true career alcoholic. While Gazzara delivers the philosophy of Bukowski well, he arguably misses the raw, ugly grit of the author's physical reality. Storie di ordinaria follia

Ferreri does a magnificent job capturing the pure, unadulterated sleaze of 1970s/1980s Los Angeles. Assisted by legendary cinematographer Tonino Delli Colli, the movie feels soaked in neon, sweat, and cheap whiskey. It effectively translates Bukowski’s "dirty realism" into a visual medium. At its core, the film is a masterclass