• Release year: 2025
• Director: Johnny Depp.
• Producers: Monika Bacardi, Andrea Iervolino, Zak Kristofek, Barry Navidi, and Jason Tamasco.
• Screenplay by: Jerzy Kromolowski and Mary Olson-Kromolowski.
• Cinematography by: Nicola Pecorini and Dariusz Wolski.
• Music by: Sacha Puttnam.

Shotgun Commentary: the best kind of chaos, fun and terrifying.

Review

Modigliani: Three Days on the Wing of Madness is a fictional piece loosely based on the life of the Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani (Riccardo Scamarcio). Unlike other biopics, this account doesn’t necessarily focus on his life in terms of wife and kids, nor does it talk about the most dramatic events in his life. Instead, it tells you about three random days when nothing too relevant happens, but that’s alright, because it’s more about the journey than it is about the destination.

Running man

This not-biopic-not-quite-fictional work begins, as all great movies should, with a Scooby-Doo style sequence for the opening credits. You know the one, a corridor with many openings on the sides and people crossing it, going in and out the openings. The Scooby-Doo franchise has perfected this type of scene and all its possible varieties, and the Pink Panther franchise offered a more elaborate version of it in its opening credits. In using the same formula, this feature makes its comedic intention clear, just in case it wasn’t just with the opening scene.

The story follows, as you might have deduced by the title, Modigliani during the course of three days and four nights…possibly, things get blurry at one point, and it is hard to keep track. Regardless, during this time, we follow him and, on occasion, his two friends and lover, as he roams about Paris coughing up blood and feeling sorry for himself. In all fairness, anyone with tuberculosis has all the right in the world to have that attitude, but Modi isn’t melancholic because of his impending death, but rather, due to his lack of success.

The horror factor

This last fact ties down nicely with the reason he’s called Modi, a nickname he got in France due to its similarity with the French word “maudit”, or “cursed” in English. A connection that acquires a whole new meaning for all horror lovers who have a look at his works. The haunting proportions of his portraits will very likely give you chills if you’ve ever watched Mamá (2013) or It (2017). The director of both features, Andrés Muschietti, saw the obvious in the artist’s work: it is creepy as hell. Thus, he used it as inspiration for the characters of Mamá and Edith, respectively, in the aforementioned movies.

What comes as a surprise is that, despite there being a few intense horror moments in Modigliani: Three Days on the Wing of Madness, his art is never exploited for them. It might have been an oversight, or maybe a sign of respect to his work. Regardless, it feels like a waste of potential considering how haunted the artist was about his art, and how haunting his works actually are.

Chasing waterfalls

Additionally, it is important to address two specific elements of the film. Firstly, the amount of saliva per minute. It might sound like a strange thing to fixate on, but it really isn’t. Not in this case. If you thought spitting had made a comeback with Sinners (2025), get ready to meet the real professionals.

You might be thinking, “the protagonist has tuberculosis, give him a break”, but the thing is, even if you forgo the bloody spit that comes out of Modi way more often and detailed than you would like, there is still an insane amount of spitting. Spitting is a big thing, it might be due to the bomb smoke in the air, or maybe just the general lack of education of the characters portrayed. Whatever the reason, if you have a thing with corporal fluids, don’t watch this film.

As for the second element, there is a significant issue with the soundtrack. The first song is incredible. It fits the vibe that they were clearly going for, and it could perfectly be something they are actually listening to inside the film.

The wrong decision

However, and it is a big however, two of the tracks simply don’t work. One of them is a song sang by an old, American voice. While there isn’t anything wrong with the film per se, it makes no sense within the feature. In fact, it exposes the potential intentions of the director. Despite this being a film about Modigliani, one can’t help but see a lot of Johnny Depp in the tortured artist’s life.

Granted, it is common to put some of your vision into the films you direct, but some moments in the movie feel straight out of a Savage campaign. The aforementioned American song reinforces this connection, pushing the film closer into the autobiopic realm despite it being a biopic of someone else. Not to mention the last song that reminds of that Barbie (2023) scene where Ken plays the guitar AT Barbie. Maybe not the comparison you’d want, but the one it deserves nonetheless.

All in all, Modigliani: Three Days on the Wing of Madness is a fun drama with cheeky moments and horrifying scenes that will keep you glued to the screen. It might not be the most accurate or detailed biopic, but it sure is one hell of a time.

Thanks to Miracle/IN.2 for big-screen access! Modigliani: Three Days on the Wing of Madness will be in cinemas on July 11, with special previews nationwide on July 10.

Advice to take from this movie:

• If you are adding subtitles for other languages, keep it consistent throughout the film.
• No matter what people say, it is up to you to decide whether an artwork is valuable or absolute crap.
• “Sacrifice isn’t a guarantee of greatness”. De Niro showed up, dropped that line, and left. That’s class.

What’s your take? Have you watched Modigliani: Three Days on the Wing of Madness? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀