Roseanna's Grave

Roseanna's Grave begins with a trapeze artist walking a tight-rope in the middle of an Italian city. The clown falls and dies. He takes his place in the overpopulated graveyard. Now there is only one grave left. Jean Reno's sick wife wants that grave. He can't let anyone die. This film is a comedy?

And what a comedy. Jean Reno gives a sweet performance as the loving husband attempting to keep everyone in the town from harm. The length that he goes to, to honour his wife's wishes is remarkable. He convinces the family of a man in a coma that he is still alive when the doctors tell them he has no chance, he even kills a man by accident but hides the body.

This is a love story and the chemistry between Ruehl and Reno is refreshing. Ruehl is remarkable as the dying spouse. She hopes for her sister and her husband to get together but they don't like each other at all. It all builds up to a tragic outcome but the ending is a surprise, a wonderful surprise to a wonderful movie!

"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 movie should be filed on all video shelves next to the wonderful Il Postino and Cinema Paradiso. Though this is not actually in Italian, the style and character of these other two films is evoked. It may not be as moving as these Italian masterpieces, but I would argue that it is more amusing.

It is one of those movies that gives the spirit of a place, draws you in to it and makes the audience genuinely care about the characters. If you feel disillusioned with blockbusters or just need a bit of cheering up after a hard day, this is your movie.

Amazingly, it couldn't get a cinema release over here, and it is very little known. My advice is to try it, and soon, like me, you'll be recommending it to one and all.

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.

The acting is superb, the story line strange and the experience a treasure. Funny, serious, surprising. The entire package is rolled up into a neat package you won't forget for a long time. I was so enchanted by HIS acting I was halfway through the movie before I realized how fine SHE was. Well worth anyone's time.