Alba Brunetti (Nicole Grimaudo) is breathtakingly pretty, drives her red sports car at petrifying speed, has been in psychiatric hospital in the past, likes to scratch the paintwork of cars with a key, always carries lots of shoes in the car so she can select exactly the pair of high-heels to suit her mood, is a partner in the Cantone pasta business, and is quietly, despairingly in love with Tommaso Cantone (Riccardo Scamarcio).

Tommaso is a partner in the business, is deeply in love with Marco (Carmine Recano), and wants to leave the world of pasta to be a writer - he's waiting to hear from a publisher about his submitted novel; stage one is to come out to his family, but first he tells his brother Antonio Cantone (Alessandro Preziosi). Antonio is the third partner in the pasta business. What the others don't know is that Antonio is gay too, and has covered it up for 30 years. At a family dinner, he pips Tommasso to the post by coming out first. The brothers' father Vincenzo Cantone (Ennio Fantastichini) is very angry, has a heart attack, and boots Antonio out of the house, out of the family - and out of the pasta factory. Their mother Stefania Cantone (Lunetta Savino) isn't too pleased either. Pragmatically, Tommaso decides to keep the closet door shut. For now. And, shh, isn't he - perhaps - a little in love with Alba?

Vincenzo's mother (Ilaria Occhini), the brothers' diabetic grandmother, is serene about it all. She believes people should do what makes them happy, and not listen to people who would force them to do otherwise. After all, she married the wrong brother, and dream flashbacks of herself as a young bride in white wedding dress going to the right brother punctuate the action.

Tommaso's sister Elena (Bianca Nappi) has known that he's gay all along and is fine with it; her husband Salvatore (Massimiliano Gallo) is clearly up for some man-handling himself. Deadpan servant Teresa (Paola Minaccioni) provides superb counterpointing humour (Grandma: 'Teresa, you're so ugly'; Teresa: 'And I'm fond of you, Madam'). Vincenzo's sister Luciana Cantone (Elena Sofia Ricci) took a wrong turning in love years ago and now drinks surreptitiously and constantly, and fantasises, dressed erotically for bed at night, about the possibility of a burglar breaking in; well, coming in through her open window. Spectacled doctor Marco arrives at the Cantone home - just passing by - with his and Tommaso's trio of very gay friends from Rome - Domenico (Matteo Taranto), Davide (Gianluca De Marchi), Massimiliano (Mauro Bonaffini).

Meanwhile down at the pasta factory - founded by Grandma - Alba wants Tommasso to concentrate on their new product range; Tommasso wants to quit for Rome and writing; and expelled Antonio would possibly like to return.

Ferzan Ozpetek directs a lively script by himself and Ivan Cotroneo. It's funny, gentle, compassionate, complex, delightfully-layered, intense. There's a lot of food. Pasta, of course, plus cakes by the tray. There are cars - it's Italy, after all. There are shoes, mainly Alba's - and they are great shoes. Some great historic architecture, too. Star of the off-stage show is Pasquale Catalano, whose astonishing original music, from violin to piano solos, to complete orchestrations (which he conducts), creates and augments every element of the film from pathos to drama, to subtly shaded ambiguity.

Production design by Andrea Crisanti, art direction by Carlo Rescigno, and costume design by Alessandro Lai are - in a single word - gorgeous. There's a rich, detailed feel to all the visuals; each dress, suit, chair, texture, table and frame comes across as exactly right. Maurizio Calvesi's sensual photography and Patrizio Marone's editing, combined with the design and music create a special world in which a remarkable ensemble cast create a special kind of heartbreaking magic.

Cast Credits: www.imdb.com/title/tt1405810/

Company Credits: www.imdb.com/title/tt1405810/

END

John Park

reviewed Monday 27 September 2010 / Press screening / NFT 1, National Film Theatre, London UK

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