In 2020, Netflix released 365 Days, an erotic romance film that broke the internet. On the heels of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy and its mixed reviews, 365 Days became just as popular but even more criticized. With a score of 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film gained popularity nonetheless. A singular line from the movie, “Are you lost, baby girl?" became immortalized by social media. Likewise, lead star and eye-candy Michele Morrone, who plays Massimo in the film, will forever be tied to that famous line delivered with over-the-top sultriness.

The first film follows Laura (Anna-Maria Sieklucka), who goes to Sicily to try and save her failing relationship but ends up being abducted instead. Her abductor, Massimo, confessed his attraction to her and that he’d set her free after 365 days if she hadn’t fallen for him by that time. We can all agree that’s not a healthy way to start a relationship, but after a bit of rebellion because, like us, Laura decided Massimo was a mad man, she did indeed fall for him, and the outraged reviews poured in.

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While there were many bad reviews, there were good ones, too. Viewers called the film thrilling and daring compared to its not-so-distant relative, Fifty Shades of Grey. The sequel, 365 Days: This Day, was released in April 2022, and once more, critics had a field day. But which movie held up more, the first or the second?

The first film gave us more dialogue, but minutes went by in the sequel before the plot was revealed, which is frustrating for audiences. Many compared the movie’s first minutes to commercials or music videos with its seemingly endless and overpowering soundtrack, minimal or no dialogue, and a barrage of montages. There is an expectation of a storyline to follow in movies, so those scenes came across as unnecessary although entertaining.

Even so, with many stating This Day offered even less than the first film, there was one particular detail in the second film that made it stand out compared to the first, and that was Nacho, Laura’s second love interest.

Nacho vs. Massimo

     Netflix

Loyalty matters, but for many viewers, Nacho, played by Simone Susinna, is the winner regarding who should be with Laura. During This Day, Massimo confessed that he has a brother and then refused to elaborate on where this brother has been, which angered Laura. Then in walked Nacho, the gorgeous gardener, and right away, viewers knew what would happen, which was a twist that was more like a turn. He did no gardening to prove his skill while sporting various tattoos and dripping in swag, but we won’t complain much about that. Laura’s interest in him was made evident right away, which was questionable for a married woman. Still, already feeling neglected in her marriage, she fell for Nacho’s attention right off the bat. After only just finding out about Massimo’s secret brother, some viewers thought Nacho was that brother.

After conveniently seeing Massimo in a compromising position, Laura realized she made a mistake marrying a mob boss. Nacho stepped in to help a woman in a bad situation, whisking Laura away to his hidden paradise home. The two began a forbidden friendship, and while Laura didn’t voice it right away, we were all a little confused by the lavish life of Nacho the gardener until he revealed his luxurious home belonged to his father, who he was trying to be independent of.

While Nacho never overstepped and was only ever caring towards Laura, their chemistry was enough to fill in the romantic gaps in Laura’s relationship with Massimo. With an unpleasant beginning and rocky duration until marriage Laura’s union with Massimo was a toxic yet passionate one, and Nacho proved to be the opposite. He shared loving moments with Laura and was gentle and considerate, up until it was revealed he was the son of a rival mob boss.

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Laura certainly attracts a specific type and once more felt betrayed and blindsided. While she’d gone willingly with Nacho and wasn’t abducted this time, he confessed he would have found a way to get her alone. Still, viewers have been unable to deny that Laura’s scenes with Nacho offered at least a small taste of what should be included in a romance film. It all depends on your personal preference, a mob boss that wants a trophy wife or one that actually lets you speak and feel seen.

Part 3 of 365 Days has been confirmed, and we’re eager to see what’ll happen in this budding love triangle.

Part 3 & What to Expect

The third installment to the trilogy, 365 Days: Next 365 Days, has been confirmed, and we have so many questions we hope will be answered. Will Laura be won over by Nacho and end her marriage with Massimo, or will the Italian hunk Massimo make up with his wife? It’s, however, become a trend with the first and second film for storylines to be introduced that then vanish into thin air without being followed up, like the ending of the first film and Laura being in an accident.

The second film opens with Laura alive and getting married to Massimo with no detail about her car accident other than losing her baby and keeping it a secret from her mafia husband-to-be. It was only until the film’s ending that we learned more about who orchestrated her accident, but the entire ordeal wasn’t mentioned at any other time. You’d expect a mob boss to want answers and heads to roll if his fiancé was almost killed.

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The films are an adaptation of the bestselling novels by Blanka Lipinska, but so far, they haven’t followed the exact plot of the books. Therefore, we’re in the dark about what will happen in the third film, but we have a few ideas based on the synopsis of the 3rd book:

But Laura lost her child during the accident in the first movie. Did she get pregnant again during the second, and it wasn’t mentioned? We’ll find out soon enough, and it’s worth noting, in the books, Laura eventually needed a heart transplant, and Massimo kicked his crazy up a notch by sending her a box containing her pet dog that he killed. The books include so many juicy details, and we hope to see more in the third film to close things out.

“Pregnant Laura is shot. The best doctors fight for a woman’s life. Her husband, the head of the Sicilian mafia, must make the most difficult decision in his life – who to save: his beloved or their child. What choice will Massimo make? Will life without Laura still make sense to him? Will he be able to raise their son alone? Millions of those are swirling in his head, but none bring relief. He doesn’t know what the fate of his family will be. Whose 365 days will he follow in the third part of the sage?"

There wasn’t a long wait between the first and second film’s release, and it’s been confirmed the third installment was filmed immediately after the second. Sad to say, if that’s the case, there might not be improvements on the lack of a developed storyline, but no matter the reviews, good or bad, we’re all going to tune in to see what will happen. To some, both films weren’t good, and to others, the first was better than the second and vice versa, but we’ll leave the decision up to you.

If you haven’t watched either film, catch up on Netflix now, and we’ll see you soon for part 3.