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Mambo Italiano (2003)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 69
Fresh: 22
Rotten:47
Average Rating: 4.7/10
Consensus: A broad, shrill comedy that plays like a sitcom.
Runtime: 89 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: Maria and Gino (GINETTE RENO and PAUL SORVINO), emigrated from Italy to Montreal in the 50’s and married after their arrival in “the new world”, a world they still haven’t quite gotten used to. Their world is shattered when their son, Angelo... Maria and Gino (GINETTE RENO and PAUL SORVINO), emigrated from Italy to Montreal in the 50’s and married after their arrival in “the new world”, a world they still haven’t quite gotten used to. Their world is shattered when their son, Angelo (LUKE KIRBY), decides to get a place of his own. “What is so wrong with living with your parents until you get married?” they ask. They are relieved however, when Angelo’s childhood buddy, Nino (PETER MILLER), decides to move in with their son. After all, Nino is an old family friend and he’s a respectable cop. Their relief is short lived, as they find out that Nino and Angelo are much more than mere roommates—they’re (gasp) lovers! All hell breaks loose (Italian-style, of course!) Horror is followed by a general outcry, disbelief is followed by indignation, the battlefield is cleared, and “tutta la famiglia” goes to war! Will Angelo and Nino be able to resist the gargantuan pressure coming at them from all sides and find the strength to survive as a couple? Will Nino be able to withstand the seductive charms of the voluptuous Pina? Will Angelo find the courage to fully come out of the closet and confront the whole of them while he accepts himself? Mambo Italiano is hysterically funny and deeply moving. Adapted from the successful play by the same name, the movie explores further the subtleties and complexities of this quintessential Italian family—a family straddling the cultures, traditions, and mores of the old and new worlds. [More]
Starring: Luke Kirby, Paul Sorvino, Ginette Reno, Claudia Ferri
Starring: Luke Kirby, Paul Sorvino, Ginette Reno, Claudia Ferri, Peter Miller, Mary Walsh, Sophie Lorain
Director: Emile Gaudreault
Director: Emile Gaudreault
Screenwriter: Steve Galluccio, Emile Gaudreault
Story: Steve Galluccio
Producer: Denise Robert, Daniel Louis
Composer: FM Le Sieur
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Reviews for Mambo Italiano
There are some startlingly powerful scenes as characters grapple with expectations and feelings for each other. But the film is annoying in its cheap attempts to get a laugh.
Every time Mambo Italiano seems headed for a plunge into the ethnic cartoon swamp, a refreshingly, unexpected element throws up a roadblock and keeps the movie on solid emotional ground.
Seems set on making fun of Italians in the most heavy-handed manner possible.
The problem with screenwriter and director Émile Gaudreault's effort is that he turns his Canadian-Italian family into a cartoon.
The film has a few laughs, but none of the sweetness of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Mama treats her son like a baby, even though he's almost 30! Angelo's family is gossipy! Straights don't understand gay culture! Da-DUM. Sheesh.
On the plus side, just about every scene in the film features some really eye-catching print wallpaper. I think it’s important to end a review on a positive note, don’t you?
The script is inane, and though Ferri has some funny moments, the acting is annoying or hopelessly bland.
A half-hour sitcom stretched into an unfathomable 90 minutes of played-out ethnic caricatures that should land the entire cast a lifelong ban from Italian pride parades.
The movie's vision of Italian life isn't that far away from that of an Olive Garden commercial.
Related Forums for Mambo Italiano
by: boo allen 10/5/03
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