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ITALIAN FOR BEGINNERS Send This Review to a Friend
Charmingly and comically romantic is an apt description of "Italian for Beginners," a bonbon from Denmark written and directed by Lone Scherfig in accordance with the pesky rules of Dogma 95, the movement that dictates minimalist technical flourishes to achieve filmmaking purity. However, unlike some Dogma's efforts that can be annoying, Scherfig's venture comes off as more sleekly sophisticated even as she adheres to the dictates of the genre.
The Italian in the title refers to a language class in Copenhagen that serves as a meeting point connected to the film's theme of men and women overcoming problems to find their soul-mates. What makes the film delightful most of the time is a collection of amusing, well-acted characters, enhanced by splashes of Scherfig's playful wit and awareness of life's ironies.
Those in search of romance include Andreas, a widowed minister (Anders W. Berthelsen); Olympia (Anette Stovelbaek), who has the burden of looking after her difficult father; Jorgen Mortensen (Peter Gantzler), who is attracted to the Italian cook Giuila (Sara Indirio Jensen); Hal-Finn (Lars Kaalund), a rambunctious football addict and restaurant manager, and Karen (Ann Eleonora Jorgensen), a pretty hairdresser.
All six, afflicted with varying degrees of shyness or other personal problems, are portrayed so well that they seem very real, and good supporting performances add further appeal. Although a modest film, "Italian for Beginners" is an amusing and insightful Danish treat. A Miramax Films release.
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