Film Review: Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
A heartbreak can be easier to endure if one has the financial means to purchase real estate in one of the most picturesque and exotic locations in the world. This is the situation the heroine of the 2003 romantic comedy Under the Tuscan Sun finds herself in. Written, directed, and produced by Audrey Wells, the film is based on the best-selling memoir by Frances Mayes. The story begins with Mayes, played by Diane Lane, a San Francisco writer whose life comes crashing down when she discovers her husband, whom she financially supported, has made another woman pregnant. Following a divorce during which she was forced to sell a house, she accepts the suggestion of her pregnant lesbian friend Patti (played by Sandra Oh) and tries to forget her troubles by going on a tourist trip to the colourful Italian region of Tuscany. There she, acting on impulse, buys a 300-year-old house and begins the long and hard process of renovation, during which she discovers not only a number of colourful local characters, but also herself.
Under the Tuscan Sun is a film that would be seen very differently depending on the mood and general disposition of the viewer. Romantics would see it as a prime example of an "old school" feel-good Hollywood film that provides a life-affirming message through attractive sights and sounds, offering people something they need. Cynics, on the other hand, would easily recognise it as a typically Hollywood product that shows something that has very little to do with real life, with a few "quirky" characters serving as a cheap disguise for the film's saccharine character.
Arguments for the latter can be found in the end credits admission that some of the plot and characters are fictionalized. Wells tried a little too hard to make the film likeable, not always succeeding – this includes some weak humour, the use of gay characters as a ploy to pander to early 21st-century "political correctness", and a plot that finds convenient, but not always believable excuses to feature the most scenic Italian locations like Rome, Florence, and Positano.
Wells, apparently aware that the actual book, with content dealing mainly with Mayes renovating the house and technical issues related to her efforts, perhaps wasn't the most filmable content, adds a rather weak and cliché-infested romantic subplot involving an Italian man played by Raoul Bova, an actor known for featuring high on the lists of Sexiest Men Alive. She also adds a Romeo and Juliet-like romantic subplot involving a young Polish worker, played by Pawel Szajda, and Giulia Steigerwalt. Both subplots are resolved in a rather predictable manner, but Wells takes too much time in that effort, making the film longer than it should have been.
Most of the film's flaws are compensated by a diverse and very inspired cast, most notably Diane Lane, who convincingly plays a middle-aged but attractive woman who, despite her relatively good financial situation, desperately needs to fill an emotional void in her life. While Raoul Bova doesn't add more than his looks (which would actually play right into the "too good to be true" cliché), Vincent Riotta is much more believable as the local real estate agent who is attracted to Frances. Lindsay Duncan shines in the role of the eccentric British expatriate who doesn't serve any other purpose in the film other than to provide references to Federico Fellini's films.
In conclusion, Under the Tuscan Sun, despite its flaws, is a solid film that can be enjoyed for its beautiful scenery and uplifting message, but it would please mostly viewers who want or need entertainment of a more escapist nature, and may not resonate with viewers looking for a more grounded or realistic story.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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