The movie “To Rome With Love” is worth it if you want to hear some Italian and see some beautifully photographed Roman scenes. It does have some amusing parts. And Penelope Cruz is wonderful. Otherwise, it all feels very rushed and all in all it’s not great Woody Allen.
Category: Reviews (page 3 of 6)
Amara Lakhous’s Divorzio all’islamica a viale Marconi (Edizioni e/o, 2010), written in a deceptively light style, is a story that takes place among immigrants, mostly Muslim, in Rome. The plot unfolds from two points of view, that of Christian, a Sicilian who speaks perfect Tunisian Arabic, and Sofia, an Egyptian who has emigrated to Italy to join her husband. Christian is recruited by the secret services to infiltrate a group of apparent terrorists and his life and Sofia’s intersect. The details of the lives of immigrants in Rome are fascinating and Sofia’s character is especially interesting. The plot moves along well until – spoiler alert – the end, which is incredibly unsatisfying. Otherwise, it’s a good read and provides insight into a different slice of contemporary Italian life.
Two fashion designers from different times are compared and contrasted in this exhibition at the Met. In the clothes and accessories on view, the show is curated to underscore the similarities between the two. Prada’s designs, since they are contemporary, are probably more familiar. This makes Schiaparelli (1893-1973) the more interesting of the two. Her accessories, especially, are fabulous. There is an omnipresent background video of simulated conversations between the two women which is somewhat distracting. The show becomes absorbing if this video is ignored and one goes at a time when the crowds are relatively thin!
Nanni Moretti’s film Habemus Papam (2011) will open on April 6th. It tells the story of a newly elected pope who doesn’t want the job and has a psychological crisis. It’s a very understated movie without a lot of action and a great performance by Michel Piccoli as the pope. Moretti himself plays the psychoanalyst brought in to treat the pope as the world awaits an announcement from the Vatican. Through a twist of events the pope manages to flee the Vatican and wanders around Rome. There are some great scenes, most notably of cardinals playing volleyball, a tournament organized by Moretti’s character. Although there are comic moments, as in all Moretti’s movies, it’s not a real comedy and the ending reminds us of the human being behind the titles or positions.
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