Some critics say The Conformist is an important, thought-provoking film. I guess they are right, because it provoked me to think about a question that has bothered me for some time: Why do I keep watching these weird foreign films just because critics tell me they are important and thought provoking? As is typical for a weird foreign film, there is a lot of decadent sex. For example, the protagonist figures his half-brother is giving their mother morphine and having sex with her, so he has a fellow fascist slap him around. And by George, that is the last we hear about that! I guess this is what foreign directors call “character development.” If so, there is plenty more character development in this movie.

Anyway, as the title indicates, the protagonist just wants to conform and be like everyone else. So I guess he figures a good way to conform is by being an assassin. And to have more character-developing sex.