This is one of the many DVDs that Amazon recommended to me. I added it to my wishlist a while ago, based on the blurb and reviews. Inevitably different films appeal to different people, and I thought that ‘All Roads Lead to Rome’ sounded like an interesting storyline, rather different from the typical rom-com. I was given it for my recent birthday, and last night we decided to watch it.
There are four main characters in this film. Sarah Jessica Parker plays Maggie, a somewhat neurotic mother who has brought her teenage daughter Summer (Rosie Day) to Italy for what is supposed to be a relaxing holiday. Summer is upset because she wants to be with her druggie boyfriend. Maggie is over-enthusiastic about the views and atmosphere, in a way that even I found irritating, and I’m a mother rather than a teenager.
They quickly meet Luca (Raoul Bova) who was romantically attached to Maggie many years previously and his mother Carmen (Claudia Cardinale) who seems, at first, to be a little senile. But we soon discover that this is far from the case. She wants to get to Rome for reasons that later become clear… and when Summer takes the opportunity to escape from her mother, Carmen insists on going too.
A lot of the storyline is far-fetched, with a lengthy car chase around the Italian countryside, various near misses, apparent disasters… and then perfect timing towards the climax. But that doesn’t matter; it’s more comedy than romance, and while we didn’t laugh aloud, there were some quite amusing sections. Summer is excellent in her role as an uncommunicative teenager, and quickly bonds with Carmen despite their distance in age and rather different circumstances.
Meanwhile Maggie and Luca join forces to try to find the runaway pair… and in doing so gradually explore what went wrong in the past, and what changes each of them needs to make to their lives. I didn’t find this nearly so convincing, however. I never really believed in Maggie, who smiles too broadly, too often, and has a streak of viciousness which is most unappealing. Luca looks good as a romantic hero, but his treatment of his mother, and his opinion of women in general make him seem unpleasant - and his eventual capitulation is far too rapid.
Still, as a light-hearted evening’s viewing, it filled the bill nicely. There was no deep thought required, and while there is more action than I usually like in a film, it wasn’t difficult to follow. I’d have liked English subtitles for a couple of significant Italian exchanges; it was easy to get the gist, but I’d have liked to know exactly what was said.
The rating is 12 (PG-13 in the US) which I’d say is about right. The story is unlikely to be of interest to children or younger teens anyway; but there’s very little bad language, no nudity or intimate scenes, and no violence. The brief glimpses of Summer’s boyfriend in his squat are sordid, involving drugs, but they’re not shown in a disturbing way.
Not the greatest film, but pleasant enough.
Review copyright 2018 Sue's DVD Reviews
Interspersed with new films, we’re watching some which we haven’t seen for ten years or more. Last night we decided to re-watch ‘Roxanne’, the film starring Steve Martin as Charlie, the fireman with the long nose. It’s is loosely based on the classic Cyrano de Bergerac, although we’ve never managed to watch that.
Charlie is a likeable, popular and intelligent man, but he has a hard time with romantic relationships. His nose isn’t just long, it’s somewhat disturbingly so, and difficult to ignore. So when the beautiful Roxanne (Daryl Hannah) comes to live in his town, he’s pretty sure he has no chance with her, other than as a friend. And, indeed, she asks him to help her get together with Chris (Rick Rosovitch), a good-looking fireman who has recently started working for Charlie.
Roxanne is an astronomer who likes interesting conversation. Chris is not only shy but lacks any kind of culture or interest in anything other than (as he puts it) getting in her pants. So he asks Charlie to write letters… and Charlie pours out his heart.
The outcome is somewhat predictable, but nicely done and there’s a great deal of humour as well as some quite moving scenes. Steve Martin is a master of comic timing, and while slapstick isn’t my preferred style, I liked this film very much. The humour isn’t just physical, either; there’s a wonderful scene in a bar, where he comes up with a list of suitable insults appropriate to his nose, which manages to be both amusing and poignant.
I’d remembered the overall storyline from a decade or two ago, but had entirely forgotten most of the interactions and dialogue. I gather that much of it is taken almost directly from Cyrano de Bergerac, but it’s modern (in a 1980s style) in a way that works extremely well. It’s thought-provoking too, and I hope would encourage viewers to think about the importance of character and personality over appearance.
The rating is PG in both the US and UK, although I feel a 12 (PG-13) would have been more appropriate. While there’s nothing explicit, there are a lot of innuendoes, some non-frontal nudity (in a mostly humorous context), a slightly violent scene, and quite a bit of minor bad language.
It's not something I would want to show children, although young teenagers might appreciate it. It could make a good starting point for a discussion about the way people can be treated based on physical characteristics such as Charlie’s nose.
This film has become a classic in its own right, and (in my view) deservedly so. Steve Martin is flawless, and the supporting characters are all excellent. The pace is just right, and the ending entirely satisfactory.
Highly recommended.
Review copyright 2018 Sue's DVD Reviews
