Miriam Leone
Clara
Overview
Clara and Diego, under the guidance of the psychiatrist of a day rehabilitation center for disturbed people who attend, decide to transform the treatment center into a restaurant, involving all their other companions.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Alchemy of Chaos and Care
I’ve always been suspicious of films that promise comedy and drama in equal measure. Too often, the tonal whiplash feels like a miscalculation rather than a deliberate choice—like a chef tossing sugar into a stew and hoping for the best. But Marilyn’s Eyes (or Marilyn ha gli occhi neri, its original Italian title, which carries a sharper, almost poetic edge) doesn’t just balance these genres; it lets them collide, then watches what sparks fly.
The result isn’t a neat resolution but something messier, more human. It’s the kind of film that makes you laugh in one breath and then wonder, with a quiet ache, how the hell we’re all still standing.
The premise is deceptively simple: Clara (Miriam Leone) and Diego (Stefano Accorsi), two patients at a day rehabilitation center for people with mental health struggles, hatch a plan to turn the facility into a restaurant. The idea isn’t just about food; it’s about purpose, about proving—to themselves and the world—that their lives have value beyond diagnosis. That’s a heavy lift for any story, let alone one that insists on being funny.
But here’s the thing: Marilyn’s Eyes doesn’t treat its characters’ struggles as punchlines. Instead, it finds humor in the absurdity of the attempt itself—the chaos of a kitchen run by people who’ve spent most of their lives being told they’re broken, the bureaucratic hurdles, the sheer, stubborn hope of it all.
Simone Godano, the director, has a knack for this kind of tonal tightrope. His previous work, like Just Believe (2018), also danced between laughter and heartbreak, but Marilyn’s Eyes feels more confident in its footing. There’s a looseness to the film’s rhythm, a sense that the camera is following the characters rather than corralling them into preordained beats.
The handheld shots in the kitchen scenes, for instance, aren’t just stylistic flourishes; they mirror the improvisational energy of the restaurant itself. The camera wobbles, refocuses, lingers on a face a beat too long—just like life does when you’re too busy living it to worry about how it looks.
Audience Opinions
Broad evidence
Audience 6.8/10
"A heartfelt but uneven comedy-drama about mental health, carried by strong performances and a unique premise."
Viewers appreciate the film’s warm, humanistic approach to its characters and their struggles, with Miriam Leone and Stefano Accorsi delivering standout performances. The idea of transforming a rehabilitation center into a restaurant resonates as both creative and therapeutic. latestnetflix.com's view is that however, some find the execution uneven, with pacing issues and a script that occasionally leans too heavily on clichés or sentimentality without enough depth.
What viewers praise
- Strong lead performances Miriam Leone and Stefano Accorsi are praised for their authentic and engaging portrayals, bringing emotional weight to their roles.
- Unique and uplifting premise The concept of turning a rehabilitation center into a restaurant is seen as fresh and inspiring, offering a hopeful perspective on mental health.
- Heartfelt and humanistic The film’s focus on empathy and the personal growth of its characters is widely appreciated for its warmth and sincerity.
Common complaints
- Uneven pacing Some viewers feel the story drags in places, with moments that could have been tightened or developed further.
- Predictable or clichéd moments The film occasionally relies on familiar tropes or sentimental beats, which some find less impactful or original.
- Thin supporting characters While the leads shine, the supporting cast is often seen as underdeveloped or lacking depth.
Recommended for
Fans of character-driven dramas Those interested in mental health themes Miriam Leone and Stefano Accorsi admirers Lovers of uplifting indie films Comedy-drama enthusiasts
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsThe title asked for black eyes. Leone's are green.
Miriam Leone has green eyes. The Italian title is Marilyn ha gli occhi neri. She shot the movie in dark contact lenses, a production note Italian Wikipedia still carries from a 2021 set visit. 
The Monroe gag is in the plot. Clara, a pathological liar, invents a restaurant that does not exist, then has to cook inside it. latestnetflix.com's read is that the contacts are the cheap visual joke that sold the poster.
Simone Godano and writer Giulia Louise Steigerwalt filmed in Rome from 2 November to 19 December 2020 for Groenlandia and Rai Cinema, with Matteo Rovere producing. Stefano Accorsi plays Diego, a chef with rage attacks who can only see his daughter with social workers in the room. Leone plays Clara Pagani, a failed actress who burned a house, or maybe did not. They share a day rehab under psychiatrist Paris, Thomas Trabacchi. The assignment is lunch for the old men at the bocce club. Clara writes fake reviews for a place called the Monroe. People show up. ,
Hot Corn said the idea mixed Silver Linings Playbook with a true London story. A kid who lost his job invented a restaurant, then climbed TripAdvisor with reviews he wrote himself. That is the rumor the production printed. Godano had already made Moglie e marito and Croce e delizia with Steigerwalt. Accorsi and Leone had already spent three Sky seasons as Leonardo Notte and Veronica Castello in 1992, 1993, and 1994. Vanity Fair sold the reunion as two broken people discovering they work better as a pair. GQ ran Leone's line from a separate Vanity Fair cover. "My idea of happiness? Feeling imperfect. And understanding that is fine." ,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRSBudBPE-Y
The film closed the Bari International Film Festival on 2 October 2021 and opened in Italian cinemas on 14 October. 01 Distribution dropped the trailer on 16 September. "He cannot lie. She only knows how to lie." , The Numbers later listed $831,899 worldwide, almost all of it Italy. IMDb's worldwide line sits a little higher at $899,262. Movieplayer put the domestic take at 592,068 euros. , 
Netflix took it on 27 January 2022. Accorsi won the Ciak d'Oro for best actor and a Flaiano jury prize. The picture won the Globo d'oro for best comedy. Francesca Michielin's end-credits song "Nei tuoi occhi," written with composer Andrea Farri, was nominated at both the David di Donatello and the Nastri d'Argento. Leone was nominated for the Ciak. , The lenses stayed in.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.