Under the Tuscan sun (Diane Lane)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s over ten years since we first saw the film ‘Under the Tuscan sun’, so it seemed like a good idea to watch it again. I had entirely forgotten what it was about. I realised, after seeing the credits and one of the extras, that it was based on a semi-autobiographical book with the same title. 

The main character is a woman called Frances, played entirely believably by Diane Lane. Frances is a writer, who learns that her husband has been unfaithful. The early scenes are short and rapid, and we see her trying to negotiate a divorce settlement, then moving into a small and rather seedy flat. 

Frances’ best friend is called Patti (Sandra Oh). She and her partner meet Frances for a celebratory dinner after the divorce is finalised… and Frances learns that her friend is pregnant. She is then given a very generous offer of an Italian tour, which she’s reluctant, at first, to take. 

However, and unsurprisingly, she does eventually accept the offer, and sets off on a coach tour. And through various unlikely coincidences and some unusual spontaneity, she finds herself the owner of a very rundown villa in Tuscany.  She has to employ contractors to do some of the work to restore it, and there are some amusing (if caricatured) scenes as different people apply for this job. 

Frances has become quite disillusioned with men, and is finding it hard to concentrate on writing. She meets a rather promiscuous, free-spirited woman called Katherine (Lindsay Duncan) who tries to persuade her to relax, to enjoy the present rather than despairing over the past - or worrying about the future. 

There are various men who show different degrees of interest in Frances, and she responds in different ways… only to find, in some cases, that she’s going to be disappointed. As the documentary ‘extra’ suggests, the reconstruction of her villa in some ways reflects what’s going on in her personal life, with a few disasters alongside some changes for the better.

There’s not a lot of plot in this film; there’s one stressful scene that’s quickly over, and a few quite poignant moments, too. There’s some low-key humour in the culture clashes and misunderstandings, as Frances begins to learn some Italian. And there’s some romance - not so much for Frances as for her cheerful Polish builder Pawel (Pawel Szadja). Cultural biases are explored strongly in that subplot.

Inevitably there’s some caricaturing of cultures - both Italian and American - but it’s done good-naturedly, and tastefully. There’s some amazing scenery, and even a fast car ride that show some of Italy’s coastline. The pace is, in my opinion, just right for this kind of story that’s character-based and gentle. 

The rating is 12 in the UK, apparently, although our DVD has a rating of 15. I would think that 12 is probably about right by today’s standards; there are some bedroom scenes but nothing explicit, and no nudity. There’s some minor bad language, but nothing gratuitous. And while there’s quite a scary thunderstorm early in the film, nobody is hurt.  

It’s not the kind of story to appeal to children or even teenagers anyway - it’s more for people who appreciate a beautifully made, light-hearted but sometimes poignant film. 

Recommended.

Review copyright 2026 Sue's DVD Reviews