Armie Hammer defends relationship in Call Me by Your Name

Armie Hammer has defended new film Call Me By Your Name after a social media user accused him of promoting pedophilia.

In the 1980s-set movie, Armie plays Oliver, a 24-year-old graduate who travels to Italy for a working holiday with an academic and his family. Oliver then falls for his colleague's 17-year-old son Elio, as portrayed by 21-year-old Timothee Chalamet.

The film has received criticism over the age gap between the young couple, and one Twitter user claiming to be an army veteran from Arizona, took the actor to task, writing, "Wow, did you act in a film about pedophilia? Are you a pedophile? Do you promote such depravity? I was once a fan. Blech (sic)!!"

Armie hit back by pointing out that Oliver and Elio's relationship would be perfectly legal in Arizona, writing, "You do know that you live in a state where the age of consent is 16, right....? Ok. Now shut up."

He then politely added, "And thank you for your service to our country."

Call Me by Your Name has earned rave reviews ahead of its November (17) release, and the film is tipped as an early Oscar contender.

The couple's relationship is graphically depicted in the movie, including one much talked about scene involving a peach.

Recently, Armie told The Guardian that he wasn't initially comfortable playing Oliver, but the film's director Luca Guadagnino helped him understand the role.

"I'm not sure I could have done it (the film) unless I'd reached a certain level of understanding with Luca," he explained. "It was really a matter of him beating it all into my thick skull. There were all these kinks and fetishes that I didn't understand."

Call Me by Your Name is due to hit cinemas from 24 November (17).