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Made in Italy
2008 Comedy / Drama
Review
Made in Italy is an engaging
but somewhat insubstantial film which deals with the familiar auteur
themes of midlife crisis, loss of identity and child-parent conflict in
a typically Gallic fashion. It was directed by Stéphane
Giusti who, as in his previous film, Bella ciao (2001), draws on his
own experiences as an artist of dual nationality; like the central
character in the film, he was born in Italy and raised in France.
To date, Giusti has made only three films, and this is the least
satisfying, lacking the narrative and stylistic
coherence of his previous work. The main problem with this film
is that it tackles many serious subjects without dealing with any in
any great depth, and so, whilst it is mildly entertaining, it fails to
have the impact that it should. Like the character it portrays, Made in Italy is a film that
suffers from a crippling crisis of identity, which its
constant switching between French and Italian dialogue merely exacerbates.
© James Travers 2008 Write a review for this film...User Comments
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Director:
Stéphane Giusti
Starring: Gilbert Melki, Amira Casar, Françoise Fabian, Caterina Murino, Vittoria Scognamiglio Synopsis
Luca Morandi is a writer who is on the brink of a midlife crisis.
Born in Italy, he has spent most of his life in France, but, at 35, he
suddenly realises that he has no cultural identity. He is
struggling with a mental block when he learns of the death of his
father, who has remained in Italy since divorcing his mother.
Accompanied by his sister, Isabella, Luca sets off for Italy to make
the funeral arrangements. To his surprise, he learns that his
father, Antonio, was not quite the man he remembered. A cosmetic
surgeon, Antonio Morandi was attractive to women, and he married
several times, accumulating large debts along the way. Luca’s
feelings for his father undergo a sudden and dramatic change when he
discovers how he lived his life...
Credits
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© filmsdefrance.com 2009