This crowd-pleaser Italian rom-com is the tale of two polar opposite families who have unwitting been brought together for a summer vacation because the two patriarchs have a secret they want to share.
The setting is a stunning seaside mansion which is the home of the rather grand art dealer Toni (Fabrizio Bentivoglio) who has invited his pot-smoking hippy sister, and his two daughters Olivia a famous actress and Penny (Jasmine Trinca) a deeply unhappy kindergarten principal. Tony has lent the mansion’s guest house to Sandro (Filippo Scicchitano) and his pregnant wife Carolina, and Sandro’a father Carlo (Alessandro Gassmann), who hasn’t been the same since his wife died. They run a small family fish store on the outskirts of Rome.
Toni shares his bombshell news at dinner with his family when he tells them he is getting married again. This time to Carlo, who is having problems telling his own family the news. Most of the them are shocked but delighted with the news except for Penny and Sandro who vow together that they will do their best to stop the wedding ever happening
Penny is still carrying abandonment issues of when she was a child when Toni was very much an absent father out having a good time, whereas Sandro is a hot bloodied and very excitable macho Italian man who cannot control his homophobia. Their actions result in some hilarious comic scenes in these rather charming feel-good film where you are always sure that whatever happens, love will win out in the end.
It’s a gentle dig at their own country where same-sex marriage is still illegal, but the issue here is not of the political consequences but how these two men who are both grandfathers can reconcile themselves, and their extended families to the reality of their relationship.
It’s a joyous wee film which is like a breath of fresh air and which deals with a hot button topic without ever resorting to getting heavy or lapsing into cliched scenarios.
Labels: 2019, italian, Rom com, Same Sex Marriage
