By Haoran Xia
Published on: DeepFocus
November 8, 2020
Luca Guadagnino’s camera is fluid: poetic, tactile, and intensely sensual. Three years ago, in Call Me by Your Name, Guadagnino fused the innocence of first love with the blazing heat of an Italian summer. Accompanied by light, romantic piano melodies, time seemed to fold in on itself, carrying us back to the summer of seventeen that belongs to everyone. In the film, both image and music shift in accordance with the emotional fluctuations of the protagonist, Elio. One moment, the soundtrack might erupt into postmodern rock as he anxiously waits on the balcony; the next, the scene cuts to a garden pool, reflecting Elio’s uncontainable joy. These abrupt emotional and visual transitions - fragmented and seemingly elusive - are in fact a truthful portrait of Elio’s inner life.
Guadagnino dismantles conventional rules of “emotional character construction.” By engaging multiple human senses - sound, sight, smell - and by assigning symbolic weight to surrounding objects, he renders emotional movement with startling immediacy. What unfolds on screen mirrors the turbulence within us. If Call Me by Your Name centers on youthful longing and the pursuit of love, then in We Are Who We Are (2020), love becomes merely the medium, while the exploration of self takes center stage.
Fraser is an eccentric boy from New York, obsessed with fashion and immersed in literature. After moving with his mother to an American military base in Italy, his flamboyant clothing and inscrutable behavior quickly make him the camp’s focal point. To a world governed by discipline and order, Fraser’s presence is a quiet storm, subtly destabilizing military tradition and unsettling the soldiers around him. Raised in a household lacking a paternal figure, Fraser grows increasingly uncertain of his own identity. Is he gay, like his mother? Or asexual, drawn only to art and literature rather than to people themselves?
Socially isolated, he meets Caitlin by chance. Under her guidance, Fraser gradually adapts to a life far removed from New York, and together they embark on an uncertain journey.
Unlike Call Me by Your Name, where identity is already known, We Are Who We Are situates identity and gender as unresolved questions. These profoundly modern philosophical inquiries accompany the protagonists from the very beginning. The exploration of the unknown is multi-dimensional, particularly during adolescence. For perceptive and sensitive teenagers like Fraser and Caitlin, any gesture or word can become a turning point. Under Guadagnino’s lens, this process becomes a grand experiment.
He captures the fleeting, nearly invisible details of adolescence - both physical and psychological. Subtle bodily movements are locked into flowing sequences of shots, each gesture imbued with intention and vitality. These actions are not merely external expressions, but internal demands - manifestations of psychological states that, when connected, form a subjective chain of movement drawn from multiple sources yet rooted in a singular interior perspective.
These shots are often brief, because in real life, body language driven by inner impulses rarely lingers. In an instant, everything can be revealed. Whether it is Fraser replaying Jonathan’s voice messages late at night, or Caitlin observing a man shaving his head in a restaurant, these “three-second moments” magnify the characters’ inner worlds. Psychological construction is even more microscopic, requiring strict control over atmosphere and environment. Devoid of direct verbal articulation, emotion must be inferred indirectly, forming a multi-faceted psychological prism. Guadagnino’s sensitivity as a director shines through his use of natural elements - wind and rain - to signal internal transitions. Wind conveys unrest; rain speaks of sorrow. Between rising gusts and falling rain, the emotional tone of each episode seems prewritten, coloring this unknown journey of self-discovery with shifting hues.
Themes such as “Who am I?” or “Who do I love?” are hardly new to television over the past decade. From Mad Men’s Don Draper - who escapes the Korean War by stealing another man’s identity - to Better Call Saul’s Jimmy McGill, who reinvents himself as Saul Goodman after being rejected by his brother, identity exploration has long fueled modern storytelling. Though the subject may seem overused, We Are Who We Are distinguishes itself through its synchronicity with the present moment.
“That’s why I don’t like your clothes, because they’re fast fashion. In two months, you’ll throw them away. I’m looking for something valuable, something that can last,” Fraser tells Caitlin in Episode Three. Born into a post-consumerist era, this new generation is urgently searching for collective identity in twenty-first century where the consumerism of the 1960s has begun to fade. Capital-driven values no longer suffice as defining labels. As Fraser suggests, today’s youth are searching for meaning across diverse domains.
Value itself has become pluralistic. It can reside in a uniquely designed coat, in 1980s punk music, or in a short poem. These works are adopted as expressions of personal worth, replacing the older practice of defining identity through material wealth. Sexual orientation and gender identity - once treated as sensitive topics - have become core value markers for a new generation. Fraser and Caitlin stand as emblematic figures. Though Fraser experiments with women’s clothing and is drawn to older men, he still identifies as male. Like his fashion, sexuality is only one fragment of his being. These unconventional traits coexist with his core self, collectively expressing the values he seeks.
Caitlin, meanwhile, is a revolutionary of the new era. Shaving her head, attaching a fake beard - these seemingly rebellious acts are steps toward self-discovery. By rejecting her former appearance, she initiates an inward revolution, striving to imbue her chosen identity with renewed power. For Fraser, Caitlin, and the contemporary youth they represent, the present is a post-gender era. Gender and sexual orientation are no longer determining criteria, but traits that coexist with inner values. This expanded freedom allows individuals to become themselves while wearing a second skin of their own choosing.
Fashion and music in We Are Who We Are function as cultural markers of a new generation. Gender-neutral, oversized designs proclaim freedom from constraint and a rejection of rigid categorization. Gender dissolves within fashion, as clothing becomes a vessel for values. Every garment communicates orientation and belief - whether Fraser’s oversized coats or Caitlin’s polo shirts. These gender-ambiguous pieces quietly reveal the protagonists’ spiritual pursuits.
Music has always been Guadagnino’s strength. In earlier works such as I Am Love and Call Me by Your Name, music integrates seamlessly into character and narrative, activating emotional resonance through its inherent sensuality. We Are Who We Are draws from a vast musical range spanning nearly fifty years, revealing both continuity and distinction across eras. From 1970s rock icons like David Bowie and The Rolling Stones, to the genre-defying Klaus Nomi, to contemporary hip-hop represented by Kendrick Lamar, and the reimagined British pop of Blood Orange: each artist contributes a distinct cultural code. These musical layers flow through the characters, embedding generational memory into their identities. The series balances breadth with symbolic precision, presenting a cultural textbook uniquely tailored to today’s youth.
By constructing a condensed, fictional post-gender community, We Are Who We Are articulates the values of a new generation. Through bold fashion philosophies, sensuous visual language, and music drawn from across decades, the 2020 series emerges as a beacon, guiding young people toward the selves hidden deep within.
作者：夏浩然
发表于：深焦DeepFocus
二零二零 十一月八日
卢卡·瓜达尼诺导演的镜头是流动的，充满诗意且感官性十足。在三年前的《请以你的名字呼唤我》里，瓜达尼诺将年少爱情的纯真感和意大利盛夏的炙热感相结合，配上轻快而又浪漫的钢琴曲，让时间穿梭，把我们带回到属于每个人的17岁夏日。电影中画面和音乐跟随男主角埃利奥的情绪变化而改变，或许前一秒电影的背景乐还是因为在阳台上焦急等待而响起的后现代摇滚乐，下一秒画面则跳转至花园中的水池，映射着埃利奥满心欢喜的笑容。这前后一秒之间相差的画面和情调，碎片式的分镜头看似难以捉摸，实则是埃利奥情感的真实写照。
瓜达尼诺打破了“人物情感塑造”的以往规则，他结合人类的多种感官和感知，从听觉，视觉，嗅觉，甚至采用人物周围其他物品作为固定意象，真实直接地为人物描绘了上下起伏的情感写真，与之同时发生的，也就是我们内心的波澜起伏。如果《请以你的名字呼唤我》着重刻画的是年少时期对爱情的渴望和追随，在今年的《本色》里，对爱情的追随成为了媒介，对自我的探索成为了核心。
弗雷泽，来自纽约的古怪男孩，痴迷于时尚，沉迷于文学。跟随母亲搬至意大利的某个美国军营，初来乍到的他，因为个性十足的穿衣和让人捉摸不透的行为，成为了军营中的“焦点”。对于严规守纪的部队，弗雷泽的出现就像一场小型风暴，隐性地攻击着军队中的传统，让不少士兵感到诧异而又害怕。生长于一个缺乏父辈形象的家庭环境中，弗雷泽逐渐对自己的真实身份感到困惑 - 自己究竟是像母亲一样的同性恋？还是只对艺术或者文学这类人文学科感兴趣的无性恋？ 原本不合群的他偶然认识了凯特琳，在凯特琳的带领下，弗雷泽慢慢习惯了与纽约相差甚远的生活，与凯特琳一起，踏上了一个未知的旅程。
不同于《请以你的名字呼唤我》中已知的身份认同，在《本色》里，身份认知和性别认同成为了未知，这两个充满现代哲学性的问题，从故事开头，便伴随两位主人公的故事同时进行。对未知的探索是多维度的，特别是在年少时期，对于弗雷泽和凯特琳这类具有敏感感官的青少年，任何动作或者言语都有可能成为转折点，而在瓜达尼诺的镜头下，这段探索被改写为一场巨大的实验。他成功地构造并捕捉到青少年时期那些细微，甚至几乎被忽略的细节。这些细节可以是肢体上的，也可以是心理上的。瓜达尼诺将肢体上的微变化锁在流动的分镜头里，每一个动作被赋予了原因和生命，而不仅仅作为人物表达的一种客观语言，更多的作为人物的一种内在诉求，体现着人物在不同镜头中的心理状态，串联在一起后，塑造出取自多方面但又发自单方面的主观动作。
这些镜头通常简短，因为人物内心导向的肢体语言在现实当中并不会停留许久，瞬息之间的细节便能展现一切，无论是弗雷泽半夜躺在床上反复播放乔纳森的语音，还是凯特琳坐在餐厅里观察一名男子剃头，这些“三秒”细节无不是对人物内心的放大。心理上的建设则更加微观，对环境的要求和背景的氛围更为严格，因为它缺失来自人物的正面回应，需要从侧面出发，打造一个立体的心理多面体。瓜达尼诺同样是一个敏感的导演，通过运用丰富的自然元素，比如风和雨，侧面传达着主人公在不同时期内在的转折。风代表着不安，而雨诉说着哀伤，风起雨落之间，单集和人物的情感基调似乎已经被提前写好，为这段未知的探索旅程涂抹上另一种颜色。
“我是谁”或者“我爱谁”这类主题设置在近十年的剧集中已不陌生。无论是《广告狂人》中逃离朝鲜，盗用他人身份的广告公司创意总监 - 唐纳德·德雷普，还是《风骚律师》里被哥哥排挤，自创身份的犯罪律师 - 索尔·古德曼，这些剧集始终围绕着身份探索，讲述着一个又一个违背现实，但又无限接近于现实的哲学故事。尽管这个话题似乎已被好莱坞导演和编剧滥用，但《本色》出众的原因在于它与当下的同步。“这就是为什么我不喜欢你衣服的原因，因为他们是快时尚，两个月后你就会把他们仍在垃圾桶里，我在寻找一些有价值，能够被长久保留的东西”，在第三集里，弗雷泽对凯特琳说到。出生于后消费主义时代的新一代们，在60年代兴起消费主义逐渐褪去的21世纪里，他们正迫切地在社会中寻找着一个新的群体身份。以往存在于资本中的价值或许已经不足以构成一个标签，正如弗雷泽所说，当下的新一代在各类事物中寻找着属于他们的价值。
对于价值的定义，是多样的，它可以是一件设计新颖的外套，可以是80年代的朋克音乐，也可以是一首简短的诗，这些作品中的价值被采纳来体现个人价值，而不同于过去，利用物质价值来定义个人价值。性取向和性别认同这类以往被视为敏感的话题，在当下，也成为了新一代年轻人的价值取向之一。弗雷泽和凯特琳则是新一代的代表。虽然弗雷泽时常搭配女装，喜欢与比自己年长的男生交往，但他仍视自己为男性，正如他的时尚，性取向只是他的一部分，他让这些非同寻常的特质与他的本我共存，共同体现他所追求的真实价值。
凯特琳则是一名新时代的革命者。剃头发，粘胡子，这些看似叛逆的行为实则是她寻找真我的过程，在否认原本外表的基础之上，她发起了一场来源于内心的革命，努力为自己追求的身份和价值传递新的力量。对于弗雷泽和凯特琳，或者其他间接代表的当代年轻人而言，当下时代是无性别时代，性别和性取向已不在是判定准则，在时间和意识地推进下，他们成为了可以和内心价值共存的特质，让更多人拥有了选择的权利，成为自己的同时也能拥有第二肌肤。
《本色》中的时尚和音乐也成为了新一代的文化标签。中性、加大的设计宣扬着当代年轻人不受束缚，追求自由的时尚理念。性别在时尚中逐渐变得模糊，因为在《本色》里，时尚成为了价值的展示品，每一件单品都述说着人物的价值取向，无论是弗雷泽喜欢的超大号外套，还是凯特琳常穿的polo短袖，这些在性别上模凌两可的时尚单品，都侧面体现着两位主角的精神追求。
音乐是瓜达尼诺的强项，在以往的作品 - 《我是爱》和《请以你的名字呼唤我》里，音乐自然而然地成为了人物和故事的一部分，通过运用音乐特有的感性功能，让观众与之产生共鸣。《本色》在音乐上的选择是广泛的，前后跨度接近五十年，纵向地展示出音乐在年代之间的共性与个性。以大卫·鲍伊（David Bowie）、滚石乐队（Rolling Stones）这类现象级歌手/乐队为首的70年代摇滚，结合摇滚和迪斯科，具有开创性意义的克劳斯·诺米（Klaus Nomi），具有21世纪嘻哈乐代表性的肯德里克·拉马尔（Kendrick Lamar），和在《本色》里被重新演绎的英国流行乐歌手血橙（Blood Orange），这些分别具有不同意义的歌手和音乐作品纷纷为人物和故事加上另一个文化符号，让不同年代的文化流淌在人物的特质里。在时尚和音乐的选择上，《本色》在具有广泛性的同时又不忘其背后的代表性，呈现出只属于当代年轻人的文化教科书。
通过构建虚拟的浓缩版的无性别群体，展示着新时代年轻人的价值取向，大胆宣扬着独一无二的时尚观念，运用极具感官性的镜头语言，配上来自不同年代的代表性音乐，2020年的《本色》似乎成为了新一代年轻人的灯塔，引领着他们去探索深藏在内心的自己。