Under the Tuscan Sun became my Netflix movie of the week after I noticed that the next three on the queue were Aronofsky's films (none of which I've seen). I figured I should watch something light and fluffy before I get into heady films about drug use, unraveling the mysteries of the number pi, and making sense of a time-spanning romance. Truth be told, I had no high hopes for this film. I figured it would be just another predictable romance, and it was. It was formulaic with an obvious happy ending in store, but there were enough alterations to the formula to keep me interested and make me enjoy this movie in spite of myself.
The movie is loosely based on the memoir of Frances Mayes. Frances (Diane Lane) is a writer who reviews other writers. She ends up going through a painful and messy divorce from her cheating writer husband, in the process losing her house in the divorce settlement. In recovery, her best friend Patti (Sandra Oh), a wisecracking lesbian just pregnant, along with her partner (played by fellow Grey's alum Kate Walsh, how funny! Cristina and Addison....digression over), suggest that Frances take their place on their romantic "Gay and Away" tour of Tuscany in Italy. Begrudgingly, in need of a change from constant sadness, she accepts their offer. While in a little village called Cortona, she discovers a hundreds-year old villa on the market, instantly falls in love with it, and, on impulse, buys it, though it is clearly a fixer-upper. The remainder of the movie follows Frances' efforts to remake this house of her dreams, remaking herself in the process.
I can tell you that the number one attraction to this movie for me was the sweeping and wonderful portrait of Tuscany. While the cinematography was nothing special in and of itself, it was helped along greatly by the scenic Italian countryside. I've been to Tuscany, Florence specifically. Three years ago, I took a trip to Italy. I didn't spend much time in the country or near any smaller towns like Cortona, but watching this movie brought back lovely memories and a heartfelt longing to return to Tuscany (I could sincerely do without Rome, which I also visited). While the movie may be no masterpiece, it was worth the look into the past.
As I said, the movie was largely predictable. Of course, Frances finds herself and a few more surprises as she gradually makes a home for herself in this faraway land. What keeps it interesting is that the movie's romance is not as much with the men Frances meets but with herself, and her house, and her surrounds. The charm of Italy works its way into the viewer's heart as much as it works its way into Frances', making it very easy to connect, even on some level, with her journey. Everyone feels isolated and alone at times, and everyone struggles with self-affirmation. The fact that Frances gets to do so spontaneously in an Italian villa is quite the fantasy of escapism and renewal.
Diane Lane gives a winning performance. In fact, the film is carried on her back as much as on the strength of the on-location sets. If she were not extremely likable, the movie would be a disaster, or, at least, extremely boring. Sandra Oh is also funny, though she seems to play the snarky type quite a lot. Lindsay Duncan, who plays an aging actress and ex-paramour of Fellini, gives a nutty performance, as her character teaches Frances the necessity of living life without regret.
There isn't really much in the way of story or plot other than described. I read the Netflix reviews by other users from time to time; in this film's collection, one reviewer described the movie as more a chapter of a woman's life rather than a grand or epic story with an actual coherent plot. I think that's a very fair assessment. The movie is more the depicton of one leg of a journey more than a story, and it doesn't begin or end in any satisfying way, but the glimpse into this particular chapter of Frances' life is a charming one. The only problem is that the movie begins to lose some of its charm toward the end; since it has no coherent plot, it has no climax toward which to build, and the film stumbles and slows as it scrambles to make a clean break and tie up the loose ends. In the end, the movie becomes a bit trite, but it is categorized as a romance, so what else is to be expected?
Still, it's a movie that's fun to watch, light and frothy like the foam of a cappucino, and for me, its saving grace was that it brought back some palpable memories of three gorgeous days in Florence. With that said, I give the movie a 7 for being shaky but entertaining, since its positive message, quirky supporting characters, and effective use of setting kicked it up from being merely another "cute" romcom. As for passing the test, it might, if I found the movie for cheap (like 5 bucks). It won't make my wishlists for now, though. For me, I could see the fun of the Tuscan sun wane with too many repeat viewings.