So it's a Sat afternoon in Melbourne, Australia, the last weekend of the 2008 Italian Film Festival here and the cinema is packed. www.italianfilmfestival.com.au
In our lead male role we have Mattia a 20s/early 30s building contractor in Perugia played by Luca Argentero who reminds me more than a little of Terence Hill in his bearing and appearance. His foil and partner in crime is Kamal an Egyptian immigrant working as a builders labourer in Italy, more in his 40s and very keen to get a diploma as a chocolate maker so he can get back to working as pastry cook like he once did in Egypt. Kamal is played by a a very funny Hassani Shapi.
So when Kamal falls from the roof at one of Mattia's building sites (no safety rails as they would have cost 12,000 Euros) he gives Mattia two choices... police or stand in for Kamal at an advanced chocolate making school for a week long course.
For any of you who have seen French film Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis (English title "In the sticks") the comedy here between Mattia and Kamal is very much like that between the 2 male leads in "In the sticks" Kad Meran and Dany Boon. Some wonderful physical comedy and lines in both shows.
In a supporting role (and a meatier one than the film festival booklet suggested) we have Neri Macore one of my favourite Italian actors. Such a melodious voice... he speaks such beautiful Italian.
In the other corner as female lead we find Violante Placido playing Cecilia the best student in the chocolate making class. Attractive, passionate but a history of falling in love with liars. Cecilia is like a light switch in love... one minute she's on, one minute she's off. Violante was in one of last years festival films but Lessons in Chocolate give her the spotlight in a leading rather than supporting role this time around. In passion (or was it her character here) she reminds me a of a young late 1950s, early 1960s Sophia Loren. But more about temperament than size of bosom and cleavage!
The combination of a journey for Mattia from being self centred to appreciating differences and diversity with some beautiful locations around Perugia, very funny lines (our movie had English subtitles) make this a quiet comedy gem.
Lessons in Chocolate in Italy the same sort of enjoyment as taking the journey into the sticks in France. Recommended.
In our lead male role we have Mattia a 20s/early 30s building contractor in Perugia played by Luca Argentero who reminds me more than a little of Terence Hill in his bearing and appearance. His foil and partner in crime is Kamal an Egyptian immigrant working as a builders labourer in Italy, more in his 40s and very keen to get a diploma as a chocolate maker so he can get back to working as pastry cook like he once did in Egypt. Kamal is played by a a very funny Hassani Shapi.
So when Kamal falls from the roof at one of Mattia's building sites (no safety rails as they would have cost 12,000 Euros) he gives Mattia two choices... police or stand in for Kamal at an advanced chocolate making school for a week long course.
For any of you who have seen French film Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis (English title "In the sticks") the comedy here between Mattia and Kamal is very much like that between the 2 male leads in "In the sticks" Kad Meran and Dany Boon. Some wonderful physical comedy and lines in both shows.
In a supporting role (and a meatier one than the film festival booklet suggested) we have Neri Macore one of my favourite Italian actors. Such a melodious voice... he speaks such beautiful Italian.
In the other corner as female lead we find Violante Placido playing Cecilia the best student in the chocolate making class. Attractive, passionate but a history of falling in love with liars. Cecilia is like a light switch in love... one minute she's on, one minute she's off. Violante was in one of last years festival films but Lessons in Chocolate give her the spotlight in a leading rather than supporting role this time around. In passion (or was it her character here) she reminds me a of a young late 1950s, early 1960s Sophia Loren. But more about temperament than size of bosom and cleavage!
The combination of a journey for Mattia from being self centred to appreciating differences and diversity with some beautiful locations around Perugia, very funny lines (our movie had English subtitles) make this a quiet comedy gem.
Lessons in Chocolate in Italy the same sort of enjoyment as taking the journey into the sticks in France. Recommended.