Overall, A Pure Formality serves to be an endlessly compelling work of cinema that can be interpreted at different levels. At one level, the movie seems to mourn the hollowness of human existence while simultaneously highlighting the complexity associated with the human psyche. At another level, t he movie, marked by surrealistic overtones, succeeds in fading the line that separates real and fantastical cinema. In the movie, the trio of Tornatore, Polanski, and Depardieu achieve a level of brilliance that’s seldom matched in contemporary cinema. The balance between entertainment and art is simply awe-inspiring. Tornatore’s intelligent script has enough to keep the literary enthusiasts interested. The name ‘Onoff’ serves to be a great oxymoron that alludes to the hapless, confused state of humanity. Master composer Ennio Morricone’s evocative music—albeit far from being his best work—enriches the movie with a sense of eeriness that greatly complements its setup. A Pure Formality may make an average viewer nit-pick but it’s bound to fascinate an intelligent viewer who, bored by the mundanities of contemporary commercial cinema, is desperately on the lookout for a breath of fresh air.