Italian for Beginners (2001)

I don't think i watched the same movie...

... as the back of the case claims it to be. I am a big fan of foreign films and own a lot of them, so at a cheap price of $5 i picked up this title. I didn't really read up on it (like i should have) but figured it would be good for something. It sadly really wasn't. The back of the case (description) claims this movie to be a "heart-warming romantic comedy" and i didn't think it was either of those things. And i know romance or comedy or romantic comedy when i see it - and i just didn't think it excelled in either. I hate to be so negative on a movie (not film, mind you - the "Dogma 95, shot-on-8mm" is actually kinda lame) but i was disappointed. As another reviewer said "I miss REAL cinematography". The acting was nothing special, and i actually didn't really get into the characters at all - the restaurant owner/second Italian teacher guy was really annoying and a jerk, but i liked the relationship between the Italian girl and Jorgenson(?) - it reminded me of the Portuguese girl's story in "Love Actually (Widescreen Edition)" (which is a much better film). Also, if one has read the description, they are led to believe that most of the movie (or at least the parts where they "discover passion and love") takes place in Italy, when they are actually only in Italy for about 10 minutes at the end. Sadly, i found i laughed only once, and found nothing passionate, sexy or comedic for the most part. Rent if you are that interested, otherwise look elsewhere for either foreign language films or romantic comedies. March 7, 2008

Unprepared for Life

This movie answers the question: Why is the Scandinavian suicide rate so high? It's because they are unprepared to live. Bewildered and apathetic as [more or less] young and filled with hate and rage as they age, they are clearly unprepared for life. Perhaps this chilling indictment of their society by the makers was unintentional, but chilling it is.

That said, this is a barely interesting ramble thru the lives of a bunch of people with nothing to live for, and just as engrossing as you might think. I guess the makers wanted us to feel a bit more hopeful, but by the time they got the cast to Italy, the despair of these stunted lives had just become more elaborate, hardly more hopeful. I thought the script was quite poor, the acting [except for the defrocked priest, who appeared to be acting in an entirely different movie] was bland.


September 11, 2007

Interesting and deep

Given the low-budget ethos of this film, it succeeds in being interesting and deep, in terms of social relationships and social issues. Rather than the heavy musical cues and editing that guide us through a Hollywood movie, this film takes us gently and realistically into the lives of 6 people who try to work out their problems by interacting with others, some of whom just happen to be in the local council Italian class.

We get a realistic view of Dutch society in this film, along with the problems that people in that society encounter. This sort of everyday cultural information does not appear in the usual cinema event. As the problems develop into temporary solutions, we get close to the characters, and identify them as normal people, looking for understanding and companionship.

The Italian lessons are a link rather than a major part of the film. They are the almost accidental meeting point of the characters, and lead to the visit to Vienna which occurs at the end. In this setting, solutions appear, and we leave the characters in peace.

As with many comedies, this film has a deeper social message about the lives and conditions of the participants. It's nice to join them in an investigation of the human condition that is not dictated by heavyweight stars and huge, commercially-financed budgets. January 4, 2007

Truly splendid

I was lukewarm towards this movie in Movie Festival few years back because it's a Danish movie (Danish and Italians are simply mutually exclusive, in my humble opinion) and secondly, it's a Dogme movie: the kind of projects that are stripped to the bare essentials and the movies are to be seen on their artistic merits and not because of "noises" such as SFX, sound, clever editing and so forth. Therefore, excellence was emphasised upon the talent and courage of the actors and actresses. At times, art movies were not cohesive and that they were there to shock, to challenge, to conjure an experience for the viewers. After much consideration, I flagged it until few days ago, when I decided to give it a chance. It's quite surreal to see a movie that's made using cam-cameras and that it felt documentary-ish. Somehow, it pulled off neatly. The movie started in fractures: a clumsy baker who tended to an abusive father, a lonely hairdresser that got bothered by her alcoholic mother, a new priest who started a congregation whose wife had just died (of horrible circumstance), a restaurant owner that had a chip on his shoulder, a dull but good-natured hotel manager that was looking for his elusive other half, and Guiliana (the Italian girl). Whilst their lives were less than fulfilled, they found solace and comfort in their Italian class. As it progressed, they also found friendship, strength and encouragement from that tight-knit group. Guiliana, the Italian girl seemed to be a metaphor to have all those characters intertwined and the finale ended appropriately at Italy, at the doorsteps of Venice as they ridded of their demons. Yes, I got a huge grin on my face with a huge sigh of satisfaction. It's really that good. It's been long time coming to have a movie that unfolded slowly and yet, so effective. There's a short story in the extras, references (CV)of the main actors and actresses, and other standard technical stuff. For those that could understand Danish language, there were additional extras for you! An experience of a lifetime! Buon Appetito April 4, 2006

They Are Beginning to Discover Love!

"Italian for Beginners" (2000) is a very good and strange movie.
When I rented this VHS, I was convinced that I will see a comedy. So the critics said, the advertising and even the reviews in different web pages state it.
Well, I disagree.
This film is enticing, stirring, endearing... whatever, but comedy?
The story is about six people.
There is a young pastor stepping into a parish to temporarily substitute an obstinate and aggressive suspended titular; a good looking mid-thirty hairstylist with an intruding alcoholic mother; a pleasant hotel receptionist and his friend, usually angry, in charge of a bar; a lovely Italian kitchen-maid and last but not least a blundering young bakery employee.
This six go around with their lives in a little Danish town and will be, little by little, entangled one with the other.
All of them bear an internal pain or lose, all of them are in deep need of affection and care, all of them will discover love by strange and tangled paths.
There are comic moments in the film but nearly all of them are shadowed by some mishap, including death.

Director Lone Scherfig adheres to Dogma95 ascetic principles: no musical score, natural light, hand-held cameras are three of the ten premises; working within this background she manages to deliver a small oeuvre d'art that will leave the viewer deeply moved.

The cast, unknown actors and actresses for me, give an above standard performance. Believable and sober all of them flesh their characters with great compromise.
I strongly recommend this film!
Reviewed by Max Yofre. August 24, 2005

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