Just so...so bad

A Disappointing Continuation

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

This movie is set in Perugia, Italy where Mattia, played by Luca Argentero, is a self-centred, carreerist, building promoter who, in order to break into the market accepts cheap contracts and cuts corners by buying cheap material, hiring black labour, paying little and not caring for his team's safety. On one occasion, one of the workers, an Egyptian, Kamal, played by Hassani Shapi, has an accident and falls from a roof.Kamal could denounce Mattia, who would end in prison and see his career ruined. To avoid this, the two strike a deal...The movie's strength, in my opinion, is in the lightness through which the story passes us a delicate message about immigration and about those in margin of society. The film is about how, if we take time, we can appreciate someone else's culture and point of view, and that, things that seem odd and perhaps picturesque, make sense when one lives them, or at least, sees them from closer by. This movie is about what matters in life: values such as quality over mediocrity, helping and achieving together over selfishness, and truth over lies. It is also about how people on the margins of society are confronted by everyday life through a different perspective than the everage middle-class citizen. The movie brings through all these serious messages in a very easy flowing and light way. Although there is quite a bit of stereotyping, it is mastered for the sake of the message, and I for one, at no point felt it was offending. The actors are OK, and the film does not offer any technical break-throughs but flows pretty well. All in all, it is a very pleasant and positive film, with an intelligenty written screenplay and a worthy message behind. Bravo.

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.auIn 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.