Viva Italia! Review

Posted 10 years ago by myetvmedia

Directed by Massimiliano Bruno, this is a funny, poignant movie about family. Michele Placido portrays Michele Spagnola, a long time politician with a crappy home life. A session with a showgirl leaves him brain damaged and no longer able to lie, instead shouting what he really thinks at anyone who can hear him. His family unwillingly rally around to help him, trying to save his career and preserve the peace as he starts airing all their dirty laundry.

Placido plays the workaholic father well, switching between the picture perfect, gentle paternal politician to misogynist ogre at the drop of a hat, gleefully stirring the pot as he initially throws more and more people under the bus. His gradual change to a regretful father trying to make amends is well done, with one scene in which he watches home movies he wasn’t in, is a particular standout.

The other characters vary, they mostly acquit themselves well but the best scenes and lines go to Placido. A particular standout is Ambra Angiolini as the daughter, a failing actress with a stalker who’s trying to be taken seriously, and her brother Valerio, played by Alessandro Gassman, an incompetent layabout with an unfaithful wife and a son who raps about his (numerous) failings as a father and a man.

Recommended.

Donal O’Connor

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  • Viva L'Italia!
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