Mambo Italiano (2003)

When I went to see this movie I was expecting it to be more funny. Instead, the only thing that came out of it was the drama that the characters go through when they find out that Angelo is gay and he's been sleeping with his childhood best friend. As an Italian myself from Montreal, I always get asked by other people if that is the way Italian 'famiglia' is like (slap up-side the head, parents being on your case 24/7 and people trying to fix you up with someone you can't stand even from 3000 miles away) the answer is YES, YES and YES, that's the way it REALLY is...now get over it already!

The poster for this movie calls it "The Comedy of the Summer" or if you've seen it in french "La Comedie de L'ete", don't be fooled, it's not all THAT funny. Expect to see lots of drama in it.

My rating for this movie out of 5 is: ***1/2

Fmovies: I loved this film! I've seen it probably 20 times.

It's light, airy, colorful, vibrant, funny and also poignant. The acting is very good, the timing (very important) is good and the characters, despite their many flaws, are likable.

If you liked Big Fat Greek Wedding and Adam & Steve, you will like this also.

Whoever designed the sets did a fantastic job too. Color everywhere! The film takes place in Canada and has funny references about gay men, Italians and people in general.

I think people looking for something light and comedic will really enjoy this.

Maybe it's because I come from Italian heritage that I find this film so funny. I honestly think I laughed out loud during this film one of the highest amounts I've ever belly-laughed during a movie. And you know how you laugh later on in a movie when nothing funny is going on because the thought of something hilarious that happened earlier is still stuck with you? Well that happened plenty of times to me here. I believe that it's because the Southern Italian and Sicilian in me both find fat Italian men to be perhaps the funniest group of people in the world. They are not simply funny because they know how to tell a joke, or they know how to pull off a good pratfall, but more because all you have to do is look at them, and they can make you burst out laughing. There is a scene where Paul Sorvino and Ginette Reno, whom I believe plays his wife, sit close together on a small bench in a cemetery facing the camera, and I suddenly started laughing. They look funny. They don't look weird. They just look like the first thing they say or do is going to make me laugh like a hyena.

Every scene for the first half of the film, literally every single one, contains something explosively funny to me, and they are mostly consisting of native Italians speaking rough English with thick Italian accents and fulfilling stereotypes of ardent cultural traditions. Hands down, the scenes that made me cackle so hard I thought my friend watching it with me was going to slap me for the unreasonable sound that can cause me to make were the scenes that depict what Italian families are like when the son moves out.

Mambo Italiano is also a surprise, because really it doesn't look that good. On the cover of the DVD case, you see a bunch of characters in some comical motion lined up across the cover, and you feel like you could pretty much guess completely what their service to the story is. Well, you'll be vaguely right, but if it wouldn't surprise you too much for me to say this at this point, it's a very poignant film about growing up as a homosexual surrounded by conflicting influences and pressure. The film will actually make you angry at society and the reality of what friends and family can end up doing to you in your life. But it's riotous fun.

Mambo Italiano fmovies. I saw a preview session of the Canadian romantic comedy Mambo Italiano last night (15th Oct '03) and this really is one of the very best gay themed films I've seen - and equally well suited to both a young and older audience.

I went to the preview because it had a gay theme - but quickly realised there's a lot more on offer - and a great deal of the film is about family and tradition. It's made with absolute honesty in regard to it's gay content, and as such is neither opportunistic nor preachy.

Mambo Italiano successfully avoids all likely clichés with a beautifully crafted script, first class acting and some of the best editing I've seen in any motion picture. And it looks spectacular - verging on surreal.

I thought it was wonderful that the predominantly young and mixed (and presumably straight) crowd all laughed, swooned, sobbed and cringed - although not all at the same time - proving that there are a lot of angles to this film which will appeal to a very broad audience.

Mambo Italiano is the best time I've had in a movie theatre in the last couple of years - and it thoroughly deserves commercial success.

I like that the TV adverts are give none of the film away, in fact understating how good it really is. You'll be surprised - it's the sort of film you'd love to see twice.

"Gayline" telephone counsellors around the globe will have to forgive one aspect of the plot (the lack of adequate training before going on-line), but they'll get a kick out of the fact that they're a key plot line.

This is the one film of the year I would recommend to anyone who wants a good laugh. Ignore the po-faced people who did not enjoy it and prepare yourself for an over-the-top stereotypical portrayal of "chaotic yet serene" ethnics in the wrong province in the wrong country. It is well-scripted and well-edited and the timing of the actors and director never fails. If you want to find out about real gay life or Italian Quebeckers, this is not the film to see; it is just an excellent comedy with plenty of gems - and good comedies are few and far between nowadays.

This film is about a second generation Italian immigrant having to come to terms with the drastic consequences of coming out of the closet.

This film is unlike any other film I have seen. It is very fast paced, each subplot don't last for more than 1 minute. There is a lot of self narrative. It also shows intersecting events and scenes of relevant characters, which is unusual for a comedy.

The sets are visually rich and appealing, and are always colourful and carefully constructed. The character development is great, and we care about the characters in the film. The script is excellent. The neurotic sister is hilarious. The arguments of the parents are very lively and funny, and are entertaining to watch. The costumes are nice and trendy, but not over the top.

In summary, this film is a lot of fun, very entertaining, humorous, visually appealing, and there is something for everyone! The only gay scene is a half a second kiss, which certainly will not hinder its crossover appeal to the mainstream. This film deserves more recognition than it gets!