Aprile

This film is so beautiful in so many ways. It is simple without being sparse. It tugs on the heart strings - but it has none of that Oprah vomit. Sit back and enjoy a fun and hilarious film of Moretti's move into fatherhood. Love him for the bumbling klutz he is. Want to steal his baby.

Italian director Nanni Moretti returns with another film with his distinct style and humor. Semi-fiction, semi-documentary, "Aprile" describe the thoughts of the director on politics, movies, his newly-born son. Although he uses the same materials as in his previous excellent film (Caro Diario), the result is not as fresh. The scenes about the Italian elections are quite weak, especially for a non-Italian. At least, it's good to see Nanni in such a good mood as a dad.

I did think it a little unkind that Silvio Berlusconi didn't get a credit here. He features enough - on television or by reputation! It's against the backdrop of the 1996 Italian elections that Nanni Moretti attempts to focus on two significant events in his life. Marginally more important is the birth of his first child, but that's only slightly ahead of his planned documentary about the aforementioned elections. Now this documentary wasn't his first choice. He was initially intent on making a musical, or some sort of revue, but now set on his new course he suffers from a director's block. The crew are poised but his brain is stalled. He's completely perplexed as he must juggle his priorities. He's man of the political left so his documentary planning is also fuelling his disdain for the future of politics in his country... Bluntly, he's between a rock and a very hard place. It's quirky and comical this film whilst taking a few free swipes at people generally out of their depth whether that be about fatherhood, politics or filmmaking. The last five minutes are maybe just a little predictably surreal and Moretti does rather monopolise the screen, but the jolly score and entertaining dialogue make for an enjoyable, if admittedly forgettable, eighty minutes of frustrated mayhem.

Written by, directed by and starring ... i wouldn't mind that, but he's in every single scene, and that really starts to jar after a while. He's an agreeable sort of chap, talented, liberal, charming etc, but he could let one or two other people get an occasional look in.

Bore, bore, bore... We've seen it all elsewhere. Nothing was funny, nothing was new. The only 5 minutes worth watching were those showing an overcrowded rusty ship, heavy with Albanian immigrants arriving to Venice. I wish this subject had been developed further, but it wasn't. Instead we have a silly film director who does not know what he wants until he has a son and appreciates the joy of life. How true, but how banal, who cares, we all know it...