Melissa P. (2005)

Characters who are emotionally complex, actors who are sensual, and locations/sets that are sumptuously visual. That’s what Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino has established with his works. But before he charmed critics with I Am Love (2009), A Bigger Splash (2015), Call Me by Your Name (2017), and Suspiria (2018), Guadagnino wrote and directed Melissa P. (2005). The erotic drama is based on Melissa Panarello’s 2003 semi-autobiographical novel “100 colpi di spazzola prima di andare a dormire” (“One Hundred Strokes of the Brush Before Bed”). The film follows Melissa (María Valverde), a sexually curious teen whose dad is away and her mom (Fabrizia Sacchi) is too self-obsessed to give her much attention. Luckily, Nonna Elvira (Geraldine Chaplin) is looking out for her. But when she is sent off to a nursing home, Mel is on her own. Melissa drifts into an arousing dreamworld, constantly masturbating and even climaxing while climbing a pole in gym class. It doesn’t help that she and her gal pal Manuela (Letizia Ciampa) have a falling out. Melissa gets involved with two uncaring guys: Daniele (Primo Reggiani) and Arnaldo (Elio Germano) who take advantage of her in several ways. Suffice it to say, unpleasant oral sex ensues. Despite the nasty nature of her encounters, Melissa surrenders her virginity and later has a threesome. If that’s not kinky enough, she becomes carnally voracious — culminating in a five-man blowjob that’s both scary and hot (and scary-hot). Before making up with her friend and mom, Melissa P. often bares her Bs!