Product: Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
Rating: 4.0
Spotty but good
This is a solid story that does tend toward the fantasy. Diane Lane stars as a new divorcee devistated by her divorce. In Italy she purchases a villa and decides to fix it up.Big problems with this film include the fairy tale aspect. First that the Italians would love Francesca and take her in as one of their own. I feel bad for the real Tuscany and the influx of Americans that will soon go there. I didn't like the young lovers.. I agreed with the father. They are young and stupid and shouldn't have gotten married.I think some reviewers miss the point of the sexy Italian that Franceca beds. In the end she learns that sex does not make her "have it" and that thinking might be exactly the problem. Of course, the end betrays this lesson when she finds another love interest. Don't you know, you must have a man in this world to be complete?My favorite part was the compassionate married man who befriends Francesca. I loved the idea that there was a good man in the story and so little films ever provide a man who is not a love interest. Or if they do the "good men" are obviously boring and incomplete. Somehow I got the idea that the film didn't mean to provide that story but the actor brought the compassion to the role.The end is insanely clunky. When I saw the love interest come I actually turned the movie off so as to not ruin the rest of the movie.One big problem for me was did Francesca and her gay friend have no family? How could both just up and run off to Italy? Again more of fantasy. Tons of plot holes and bizzare lessons that seem to make no sense.That said it is an entertaining movie if you approach it as not 100% in reality.