I watched the movie earlier this month. I loved it. Normally I don't watch the movie before I've read the book, but this time I just couldn't wait to watch the movie. I loved the mood and the environment in the movie. The beautiful scenery in Italy, the summer, the hope of an empty summer ready to be filled up with memories. The great acting by Timothée Chalamet. He was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, and that was well deserved. I bet he's going to have a great career in acting. The chemistry between Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer ... Wow! Made the movie! And the pace in the movie, slow, enjoyable and just to lean back and breathe in. The music by Sufjan Stevens just made it perfect. I had to read the book as well. It brought me back to the movie. The movie doesn't include every scene from the book, naturally, but I think the movie interprets the book in such a beautiful way. But I loved the book too.
Call Me By Your Name is just a beautiful description of a teenager's first summerlove. It just happens to be between two boys, and it happens to about three years age difference between them. As I can recall from my teenage summers, it was normal to fall in love with older people, people you looked up to. Elio and his family always have a student over for summer holidays to help Elio's father and to do some studying. This summer it's Oliver. He's a Jewish American, and with his "later" he both annoys and intrigue Elio. The tension is clear between them from the start. The relationship between Elio and Oliver develops after a lot of thoughts and doubts and insecurity from Elio's side. This is most visible in the book, which has Elio's point of view.
Call Me By Your Name hasn't any bad people ruining the love story. It just ends when summer ends, like all summer flirts do. It doesn't treat love between two boys any different than between a boy and a girl. Ok, a bit different since it still keeps it real, so they don't stroll around the village hand in hand. But it portrays the love in such a wonderful way, you just can't help falling in love.
I most probably will end up watching the movie another time after reading the book, and I will probably read the book another time as well.