It was comforting to see a movie set in Southern Italy, without any hints to criminality or political corruption, used and tired as we are to see Southern regions represented only in these terms. We find the arid but uncontaminated landscapes of Basilicata, probably one of poorest and most neglected of Italian regions, but here pulsing with fierce dignity, proud of its literary past, rich in colours, wild nature and sound humanity. Four men will travel around from one sea to another, to take part in a local music competition, but the end of this odd journey by feet is not as important as the journey itself, through which they will evolve and learn much about themselves and the meaning of their lives. A tired and listless journalist, interpreted by the always talented Giovanni Mezzogiorno, will accompany them, and discover some passion for something in her life. It's a plain movie, whose slow rhythm is given by the sound of the bass, and relieved by odd songs, each one a moment of revelation for each character. It's a feel-good movie, leaving the viewer with a sense of simplicity, of the need and the necessity to leave, in order to come back, but with a new consciousness and a new feeling for life. A movie to be praised, within Italian cinematography, as it can still deliver small, certainly not box-office, but good and committed products, that could appeal the wide public, leaving an intelligent message, without being too intellectual.
