This bittersweet comedy from Italian
writer/director/actor Gianni Di Gregio is almost a sequel of his sleeper hit of
2008, the truly delightful ‘MID AUGUST LUNCH’. In that film Gianni was a 60-year-old man living
alone with his demanding octogenarian tiny mother who finds himself the custodian
of several other old ladies who are dumped upon him by acquaintances off on their summer vacations and he is
left to fend for them and himself.
Now Snr. Di Gregio is back with the very same
overbearing harridan of a mother and another coterie of women that include his
wife, his daughter, next-door neighbor and his mother’s card-playing cronies
who all just use him to do their errands whilst they are out having their
respective ideas of fun which never include him. His lawyer pal sees how frustrated poor put-upon Gianni is since he has
retired and that his life is unavoidably devoted to being at everyone’s beck and call. He can see Gianni pining for love and wants to find him a woman to provide him with that and maybe more, but the poor man has been out of circulation
far too long to make any romantic headway.
This is an affectionate and pleasantly gentle wee film
that I think only an Italian could have made and although it may not have quite the same
charm as the first movie, is does prove that Snr Gregio has found himself a
cinematic niche that he is remarkable good at.
★★★★★★★
★★★★★★★
