Laura and Massimo are back, and the honeymoon is over. 365 Days: This Day picks up where the first film left off, with Laura and Massimo finally tying the knot after a whirlwind romance. The problem is that Massimo runs a criminal organization, and his enemies have set their sights on Laura. Enter Nacho, the handsome gardener who wants Laura for himself. The setup is simple: Massimo is a dangerous man, Laura is bored, and Nacho is the only one who understands what she wants. The execution is less forgiving.
Trailer, via Netflix.
Laura Loses Her Baby
The film opens with the wedding itself. Laura had lost her child due to the accident that ended the first movie, and she has never told Massimo. Only her best friend Olga comes to Italy for the ceremony, because Massimo fears his family would expose him as a criminal if Laura’s family showed up. Laura confides in Olga, but refuses to tell Massimo, afraid that telling him would bring violence down on her. The secrecy is the engine of the early plot, but it also sets the tone for everything that follows: Laura is trapped, Massimo is controlling, and the people around her are lying.
Olga and Domenico
Olga and Domenico, Massimo’s right-hand man, are caught together during the wedding. They were flirting. Laura and Massimo catch them in a compromising position, and the discovery sends shockwaves through the young couple’s marriage. The incident is a warning: everyone around Laura is using her, and she is powerless to stop it. The film spends time establishing the tension between Laura and Massimo, but the real threat comes from outside their relationship.
Nacho Arrives
Nacho is Massimo’s gardener, and he becomes the focus of the story. Laura grows tired of her empty days while Massimo works, and she turns her attention to Nacho. During a party at their house, she thinks she sees Massimo with his ex-girlfriend Anna. Heartbroken, she flees the party with Nacho, and they escape to an island together. There, Laura finds herself dreaming of having sex with Nacho. The fantasy is the film’s clearest admission of what it is: a fantasy about being used by someone who is not Massimo.
The Mafia Family
Nacho tells Laura to meet his father, the head of the rival criminal organization. Laura is horrified when she realizes Nacho is working against Massimo. She is left with a few guards while Nacho goes to speak with his father. Massimo argues with Nacho’s father, who believes Adriano, Massimo’s estranged and unstable twin brother, would be a better replacement for the Sicilian criminal family. It is revealed that they have Laura with them. The twist is thin, but it pushes the plot forward.
The Island
On the island, Laura enjoys herself while Massimo searches for her. She has dreams about having sex with Nacho. One day, Nacho realizes he left Laura with the wrong guards, and the situation spins out of control. The film stages the chase between Massimo and Nacho, with Laura caught in the middle. The climax is rushed, and the resolution depends on Laura being rescued by Massimo. It is a familiar ending for a film that has spent its runtime building up a threat it does not fully resolve.
The Cast
Anna-Maria Sieklucka plays Laura, and Michele Morrone plays Massimo and his twin brother Adriano. Magdalena Lamparska plays Olga, and Simone Susinna plays Nacho. The supporting cast fills out the world of the film, but the story belongs to Laura and Massimo. The chemistry between Sieklucka and Morrone is the reason anyone watches this film, and it holds the picture together. Without it, the film would collapse.
Comparing the Films
| Film | Setting | Main Threat |
|---|---|---|
| 365 Days | Hotel room | Massimo |
| 365 Days: This Day | Italy, then an island | Nacho |
The comparison is simple: the first film was about Massimo’s hold over Laura in a hotel room. This film is about Massimo’s hold over Laura in the open world, with a rival who wants her too. The core dynamic is the same, but the scale is larger. That is a small step forward.
Release Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| 365 Days: This Day release | 27 April 2022 |
| The Next 365 Days release | 19 August 2022 |
Both films arrived on Netflix within months of each other. Both were panned by critics. The pattern is clear: audiences want the fantasy, and critics want it to stop.
What Works
The film has a strong central performance from Sieklucka. She sells Laura’s boredom, her fear, and her desire all at once. Morrone’s Massimo is equally compelling, a man who is both terrifying and oddly magnetic. The island scenes are the strongest parts of the film, where the fantasy is most honest. The film knows exactly what it is doing there, even if it does not know what it is doing elsewhere.
What Does Not Work
The plot is thin. Nacho’s scheme is easy to guess, and the reveal about Adriano feels like a cheat. The film leans heavily on the idea that Laura is trapped, but it never lets her fight back in a way that feels earned. The pacing drags in the middle, and the action climax is over before it has a chance to matter. The film is trying to be a thriller, but it keeps returning to the same emotional ground: Laura is unhappy, Massimo is controlling, and the world is closing in on her. That repetition wears thin quickly.
Final Word
365 Days: This Day is a disappointment. It repeats the formula of the first film without adding anything new, and it loses some of the tension that made that film work. The performances are strong, but the script is weak. It is a film that knows what its audience wants and delivers it without asking for much in return. There is no reason to see it beyond curiosity about what happens next.
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