One Way or Another

The film does not focus on LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisgender narratives. Instead, it centers on the psychological fragmentation of the upper-class.

Mariangela Melato’s character challenges traditional hierarchies by acting as a catalyst for chaos. She plays a significant role in driving the story, subverting the passive roles typically assigned to women in patriarchal structures.

The narrative reflects the homogeneous demographic of the 1970s Italian ruling class. There is a notable absence of racial or ethnic diversity within this insulated political elite.

Petri offers a biting critique of Western institutions by portraying religious and political pillars as corrupt. The film uses a spiritual retreat to expose systemic moral decay.

Themes of mental instability and paranoia are present but serve as allegories for social decay. These elements do not provide a nuanced exploration of lived neurodivergence or disability.