Pour l'amour de Roseanna

Jean Reno is one very appealing and versatile actor, and here he's surrounded by attractive and loving women (as is probable in his off-the-set life). The setting is Italy so rural, the VCR tape should come with it's own bottle of Chianti. And, there's a clever ending which puts a neat exclamation mark to the story's moral. Probably filmed in Italian as well as the English version available in the USA.

I was ready to turn it off but my wife wanted to see it. I'm glad she did. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, touching, funny when it needed to be. And yet another good movie with Jean Reno.

"For Roseanna" is a wonderfully sweet romantic comedy about a loving husband and his devotion to his dying wife. The film is full of charismatic performances, but Jean Reno steals the show by a narrow margin. Mercedes Ruehl is also warm and lovely in the title role. For a story so focused on the subject of death, the character of Marcello is the embodiment of vitality, and his various efforts to keep his fellow townsmen alive so they don't take up the last graves in the village cemetery are hilarious. Having seen Reno more typically in dramatic roles in movies such as "The Professional," "Mission: Impossible," and "Ronin," I was impressed with the very gifted comic range that he demonstrates here. With very fine talented supporting performances from Polly Walker, Trevor Peacock, Renato Scarpa, Roberto Della Casa, and Mark Frankel (tragically, his final performance), this is a little jewel of a movie. Don't miss it.

This film is one of those wonderful hidden gems that restore your faith in both film making and storytelling.The opening premise is that a mans'wife is soon to die from an incurable disease and that her last wish is to be buried in the village church graveyard. Unfortunately there is just one plot left!

Naturally there are a number of other villagers even closer to deaths' door.The husband, Marcello,is brilliantly played by Jean Reno. He delivers a virtuoso performance which carries the film dashing around saving the lives of other villagers in order that his wife can secure the last plot! Part romantic comedy, part farce, part love story, part tragedy, this superbly crafted tale had me laughing and holding back a tear in equal measure.

The farce scenes rival Feydeau at his best in the likes of 'Hotel Paradiso', slapstick with style. Yet Reno as Marcelo, ably assisted by his comic "sraight" partner, Mercedes Ruehl as his wife Roseanna, also produces a pathos for the tragic circumstances which underscore his credentials as a very fine actor.Unmissable. A real treat.

Most of us know Jean Reno for his roles in violent actionmovies but in this movie you can admire the hidden talent of the French topstar as this is a comedy... And directed by Paul Weiland who has been involved with most of the TVseries from Rowan Atkinson (Bean, Blackadder). The story is morbid and hilarious at the same time as it tells the story of some small Italian village in where the cemetary only has 3 places left. Roseanna's wish is to be buried next to her daughter who died at a young age and as she's suffering from some cardiac disease this day comes sooner than she can think of. It's Jean Reno's task as her husband to keep all the inhabitants of the village alive to guarantee Roseanne a free place. This movie makes space for some very funny situations (Jean Reno is at times superb) but this movie cant decide whether it will be a black comedy or some burlesque thing and it's that grey area that makes For Roseanna (also released as Roseanna's grave) just a nice movie, just two stars and a half...and you cant blame the actors especially not Jean Reno or Polly Walker (Roseanna's sister Cecilia)