What a beautiful movie!

Too much of everything

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

I have to give this movie a very mixed review. On the one had, the storyline, the script, the score and the acting are fairly reliably horrendous throughout. The storyline is weak, choppy, and drags on miserably. The characters are not very likable (to put it mildly...), and even the most gifted ones (Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, Chris Cooper and Giancarlo Giannini) are effectively dragged down and their abilities trampled by the leaden script and the absolute lack of talent of some of the other actors. In particular, Bernard Furmann turns in a devastatingly feeble performance that makes you wonder if he's ever darkened the doorstep of an acting school.However, on the other hand, the Italian scenery, that wonderful house, with its beautiful garden and setting, and the cinematography are beyond amazingly gorgeous - all of them. As such, I have now seen this movie at least half a dozen times in the past few months, trying to ignore the fallow storyline and the lame acting, and am quite determined to retire in that region of Italy and, preferably, in that very house.

This film, while the theme has been done, has a cadence and beauty to it. Maggie Smith as romance writer Emily Delahunty is sympathetic and believable, a woman who survived many travails in Europe, including childhood abuse. She comes out of it okay, and is now the hostess to five other victims of a terrorist attack, the only survivors on board the train.The child Amy becomes autistic, and Dr Innocenti attempts to help her, and much debate is over where she should be returned. To the U.S. to her uncle? (Riversmith, very well done by Chris Cooper). An anal- retentive professor who, while at dinner discusses his career. The habits of the red carpenter ant. His wife, he emphasizes, has a completely different line of work. She studies the black carpenter ant. The expressions on some of the guest's faces are priceless.There are a few patchy areas, the detective Giancarlo Gianinni, inquiring about the terrorists, this part of the story is never really fleshed out for the audience. There is an embarrassing scene with Smith drunk on wine and Riversmith is repulsed by her. It is sad, as she is merely a kind, older, and lonely woman.Overall a curious story, with beautiful shots of Siena and Umbria. Good performances especially by Smith and Chris Cooper. Do not miss. 9/10.

Sometimes it is good not to know much about a movie before watching it, so you won't have any prejudices. And it is sometimes even good to have wrong idea about what you're going to see, because you can be pleasantly surprised.My House in Umbria sounded as it was happening on the beginning of 20th century, either in castle full of aristocrats (like Age of Innocence) or in deserted house with poor artists having no money to leave (Stealing Beauty; Sirens). Room with a View or Under Tuscan Sun came in mind too.The train in first few minutes was obviously not a century old one. Characters were more likely to fit in Miss Marple story. And that was just a beginning of surprises.A warm story about so different people that can successfully create a small community (instant family) is so hard to find. Unusual communities are usually shown as unstable group and intense interpersonal relations build the dynamic of group which develops the plot. (Tillsammans, Black Moon, Hair as an example.) But it is developing harmony that we see in House in Umbria, people who learn to lean on each other and help each other in the same time. Almost like an ideal early Christian community. Though religion isn't a topic of the movie, there are more Christian feelings here than in many religious movies. From loving and helping to forgiving. When one of the main characters appears to be the one guilty for all the tragedies that happened to the group, he isn't shown as a villain but rather a seduced man, a poor victim of circumstances.The only person who is rather odd and doesn't fit is the only one that enters the movie after first five minutes (when we meet all other characters): another surprise - in an American (HBO!) movie the only person we dislike is the only (adult) American character in the movie (played incredible effectively by Chris Cooper as a superb contrast in cast). The interaction between him and the group is the only real conflict we see, and during that time our feelings towards him change. Finally we learn to accept him the way he is (as we should accept all people, says another message of the movie), because he is just that kind of man. He is not evil, he is just different. And, maybe as the only influence he was able to let himself implement, he makes an unexpected choice at the end, realizing that though this community is strange and odious to him, it's not necessary worthless, and it might be wrong forcing someone to replace this warmth and caring love with his scientifically precise but cold, emotionless world.Something, however, didn't change from the beginning: Maggie Smith is still so Ms Marpleish that I was expecting at least one small murder which she could solve. And all people living in House in Umbria might have been imagined by Agatha Christie, actors (Barker, Spall, Dazzy, Cooper) ideal for Poirot's suspects and even Giannini as inspector could pass well as inspector Japp.But at the end I didn't mind lack of murder. It was one of those rare TV movies that can be recommended to anyone who prefers emotions and peace instead of action and violence. It is not a soap opera, it is not cheesy; and don't let my words make you understand it is a religious movie: it is humanity in the first place that House in Umbria promotes.

A tale of caring and understanding involving an elderly authoress, an elderly general, a child and a young man brought together by the tragedy of a bomb attack on a train. The authoress takes them to her home whilst the investigation by the local police continues. Each character presents inward battles and longings. The uncle of the young child, an eminent professor and her only remaining relative, arrives to take her back to America. The uncle, well-meaning but childless, is beleaguered by thoughts of doubt and uncertainty - how will he and his wife, also an academic cope with his niece? Estranged from the child's mother, his sister, the child is a stranger to him, thus creating tension and uncertainty. The young man, a German who had been travelling with a new girlfriend, is enigmatic. The elderly general's daughter died in the crash. He and the young man strive to create a garden for their hostess; an obvious metaphor for renewal and hope for the future. Excellent Excllent Excellent.