Made in Italy
Made in Italy
Directed by:
James D'ArcyScreenplay:
James D'ArcyCinematography:
Mike EleyComposer:
Alex BelcherCast:
Liam Neeson, Micheál Richardson, Valeria Bilello, Lindsay Duncan, Marco Quaglia, Gian Marco Tavani, Helena AntonioVOD (4)
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Made in Italy is a heart-warming comedy, set in glorious Tuscany, about bohemian London artist Robert (Liam Neeson) who returns to Italy with his estranged son Jack (Micheal Richardson) to make a quick sale of the house they inherited from his late wife. A successful and ambitious art gallery manager, Jack faces the possibility of losing all that he has built as his wife Ruth (Yolanda Kettle) plans to leave him, taking his beloved gallery with her. Jack's only hope is to make a quick sale of the old family villa in Tuscany, but if he is to do so, he must reconnect with his estranged father, Robert - a task easier said than done. Robert and Jack travel to Italy; a place they once called home, but now an empty shell that for Jack brings only faded memories of a broken childhood. Window frames slip from their hinges and murky water erupts from rusty taps as the jaw of estate agent Kate (Lindsay Duncan) hits the floor in disbelief at the challenges that lie ahead. Robert's dire lack of DIY skills becomes an immediate obstacle and Jack's optimism begins to falter. He retreats to the local town and, almost literally, bumps into vivacious restaurant owner and single mother, Natalia (Valeria Bilello).
Robert marshals a team of colourful, pizza-fuelled workmen to give the villa a hasty renovation and back in Natalia's restaurant, as they gather for a traditional film screening in the town square, the locals begin to recall Robert and Jack's family - and the tragedy that broke it apart. The shutters begin to open to the Tuscan warmth, but as Jack finally tries to confront his grief over the day that changed his life, it seems that Robert too has kept secrets in the villa. Robert and Jack must finally be honest with one another if they are to paint a future together.
(Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (2)
The beautiful Tuscan scenery will certainly please many an eye, but it doesn't save this otherwise uninteresting picture, which is a pity, as the realistic basis of the story has some potential. I think what bothers me the most is that most of the scenes that are supposed to be touching don't feel the least bit emotional. I guess there is a bit of romance in this film, but, try all I could, I couldn't find comic moments here. (45%)
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Made in Italy is a really nicely made film that mixes comic and dramatic elements in appropriate doses. In addition to the beautiful Italian setting and the Southern European atmosphere, the film offers decent performances, which, although somewhat mechanical in a few moments, are grounded for most of the running time, which is certainly helped by the fact that the two main characters are father and son off-screen. I have to admit that at times there was a higher concentration of onion in the cinema, especially in the scenes involving the mother, as I always pictured the tragically deceased Natasha Richardson at that moment. Even though the plot is rather bland with not much to surprise within the genre, it was nice to watch and I have to say that James D'Arcy managed to make his feature debut quite tidy. Plus points for a well written character with Lindsay Duncan's face and the small episodes with the ferret and the workers. A weaker four stars!
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