Reality

Matteo Garrone directed this Italian-French comedy-drama about Luciano, a Neapolitan fishmonger and family man whose charm and comic energy make him the centre of attention at his shop and among his many relatives. Encouraged by his family, he auditions for the Italian version of Big Brother, and from that point the casting process consumes him. Convinced that he is being watched and tested, he begins to reorganise his life around the possibility of appearing on television, while his wife Maria remains doubtful. The film, written by Garrone with Maurizio Braucci and Massimo Gaudioso, stars Aniello Arena as Luciano, with Loredana Simioli, Nando Paone, Graziella Marina, Nello Iorio and Nunzia Schiano in supporting roles. It followed Garrone's Gomorrah and sits fourth among the eight features he has directed, ahead of Tale of Tales, Dogman, Pinocchio and Io Capitano.

Reality was released in 2012 and runs 117 minutes. Its worldwide box office of about 3 million US dollars places it well below the commercial scale of Gomorrah, consistent with a smaller, more satirical project made with Italian and French backing from companies including RAI Cinema, RAI, Canal+ and Backup Media. On IMDb, the film holds a rating of 6.8 out of 10 from roughly 6,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 7.1 out of 10 from 353 votes. The audience scores indicate a reasonably positive but not overwhelming response to a film that mixes comedy with a darker social critique of television culture and the desire for fame.