Italy, 1956. In the picturesque island of Amatrello, a unique custom keeps the young men of the village busy: when a girl turns eighteen, every boy is invited to bring a gift for her first date. However the gift is not for the girl, but for the father who will ultimately determine which boy takes her on her first rendezvous. Eighteen-year-old fisherman's son Marcello doesn't care about this tradition until he sets eyes on the enchanting Elena, the daughter of the Mayor, who has returned to the island and – according to the tradition - has come of age. As time runs out and competition rises, Marcello comes up with the perfect gift for the Mayor. But getting that gift isn't easy. Soon, he is forced to barter with the entire village, as everyone seems to want something from someone else. Marcello's frantic quest ensues, evolving into a process of reconciliation among the village's inhabitants.
I apologise, we feel bad, but there's no trailer available. ~Ed.
Like Paulo said, this movie feels like a caricature or spoof of an Italian romantic comedy set in the fifties. The characters are vapid and one-dimensional and never demonstrate any redeeming qualities. I love going to the movies but this felt like such a waste of time because there weren't even any good looking Italian boys. There is one nice visual scene with no dialogue where Marcello is floating in a big rock pool contemplating his problems. That's about it.
I'd seen very positive reviews of this film, but was really disappointed when I saw it for myself. It felt like a caricature of an italian film. The whole thing was painfully cheesey and the humour was weak and predictable. This is cinema by numbers... in italian.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 28th Jan 2010.
Release date: January 28th 2010.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
