365 Days: This Day: Eroticism trumps emotion in shallow sequel

The opening shot of 365 Days: This Day is a slow pan across Anna-Maria Sieklucka’s face, her eyes half-lidded with desire as she gazes at Michele Morrone. It’s an image that encapsulates the film’s entire ethos: eroticism over emotion, spectacle over substance. Directed by Barbara Białowąs and Tomasz Mandes, this sequel to the divisive 2020 hit 365 Days is a relentless pursuit of heat without much light—a movie that mistakes intensity for depth.

The plot, such as it is, revolves around Laura (Sieklucka) and Massimo (Morrone), now married but already fraying at the edges. The film’s central tension—the threat of Massimo’s mafia family and the introduction of Nacho (Simone Susinna), a gardener with ulterior motives—should provide some narrative momentum, but it’s all drowned out by the constant hum of sexualized sequences. The film opens with Laura and Massimo’s wedding, but even this moment is framed through the lens of eroticism rather than romance. The honeymoon scenes are shot with an almost clinical precision, as if the directors were more concerned with ticking off a checklist of steamy moments than crafting genuine emotional connection.

Where This Day falters most is in its inability to balance its eroticism with any meaningful character development or plot coherence. Laura’s boredom and eventual affair with Nacho are telegraphed from miles away, and the film’s attempts at drama—like the reveal of Massimo’s twin brother Adriano (also played by Morrone)—feel like cheap gimmicks rather than genuine narrative twists. The climactic shootout is chaotic and confusing, with editing that cuts corners on clarity in favor of quick cuts and loud noises.

Recommended ReadingThe Next 365 Days (2022) – Movie Review

Sieklucka and Morrone are serviceable leads, but their performances are weighed down by the film’s reliance on visuals over dialogue. Morrone’s portrayal of Massimo is particularly problematic; his character oscillates between brooding mafia boss and doting husband without any real nuance or depth. Susinna as Nacho fares slightly better, bringing a certain charm to his role, but even he is unable to elevate the material beyond its base instincts.

The film’s originality is similarly lacking. It borrows heavily from its predecessor’s formula—erotic scenes interspersed with vague attempts at drama—and adds little to the conversation. The only real standout is the cinematography, which often leans into lush, sun-drenched visuals that provide a stark contrast to the film’s darker themes.

365 Days: This Day is a movie that knows exactly what it wants to be—erotic, fast-paced, and visually stimulating—and it delivers on those fronts. But where it stumbles is in its attempt to pass itself off as something more substantial.

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Tags: romance, 365 Days: This Day, Anna-Maria Sieklucka, Barbara Białowąs, Michele Morrone, Simone Susinna

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