tlavideo.com

Review

20-year-olds Lenni (Regina Orioli), a bespectacled student dropout, and Stella (Maya Sansa), a tough girl mechanic, are lovers, running a countryside service station/cafe. It's a happy, quiet existence for the adoring pair. That is, until Lenni's domineering, truculent mother shows up, sparking a violent confrontation that ends with her bloodied corpse. Although an accidental homicide, Lenni and Stella decide to cover up their gruesome act of matricide by clandestinely disposing of mom's body. Unfortunately, just then a bored group of hetero twits materialize and mess with the panicked girls, resulting in a wild cat-and-mouse road trip and literally explosive finale! Oh - and there's some racy lesbian restroom sex, mom's nagging ghost, and relationship frictions thrown in for good measure.

Adapted from Elena Stancanelli's acclaimed novel, first-time feature director Monica Stambrini (who cites Antonioni's Zabriskie Point and the Coen Brothers' Blood Simple as cinematic inspirations) nails the suspense, and also her characters' sense of clumsiness when it comes to causing havoc! Gasoline is sure to be a classic in the annals of queer cinema, so burn rubber and hold on tight - you're in for a nail-biting, sensual roller-coaster ride! (Italian with English subtitles)

 -- Lawrence Ferber