La Dolce Villa

I started watching this, but couldn't stomach seeing it to the end. I'm American living in Europe for 55 years. I speak Italian and other languages, and visit Italy frequently. This movie is typical naive American cliché kitsch. The dialogue is full of American "New Speak" slang and cultural references that hardly anyone in Italy understands - I have trouble with it too. The protagonist is not there to admire and embrace millennia of culture, but rather, to spread the American obsession with turning everything into a business enterprise. I can't imagine any European giving this movie the thumbs-up. I can't.

Overall, it was a sweet family movie. First of all cinematography is very good, like all Italian movies it makes you fall in love with Italy. The main focus in this movie for me was the relationship between father and daughter, I love how they showed their dynamics and the development of their relationship and trust between them during the movie. The movie looks like the very good advertisement for Italy, its food and people, they really focused on those aspects. This is movie is also about the second love story in the middle ages, also Giovanni and Olivia were soo cute together such a cute chemistry between them.

Kinda feel like they just follow a recipe of how to make a romantic comedy. It's a nice movie, but maybe too many stereotypes of what could be a romantic comedy. Like, they could be more subtle.

Also, do they have issues with the camera? Why are some can characters shaded in some scenes? Like the grandmas waving? They didn't see that in post-editing?

At least, you see beautiful sceneries of Italy. It made me want to buy one house for 1 euro and move there today.

Italy definitely has the vibe they portray.

Overall, it is a good movie to pass the time on Valentine's day with your significant other.

The Italians welcome and support productions, like this one, that advertise their place in the best way. Landscapes, Villages, Food, Warm human relationships, at their best. Foreign visitors, usually busy businessmen and cut off from the warmth of everyday life, finally find their love in the cinematic representation of a country's excellence and its people. As for the film, it was a pleasant and comforting entertainment that also included the whole recipe; the daughter with the worried-ready-for-love father, the local grandmothers at the fountain, the handsome young cook (Italian food and wine is a must) and the local beautiful Italian mayor available for love. I admit the Italians and bow to their timeless skill in attracting scripts that advertise their country in the best way. !!

Easy film to watch with spectacular scenery. The cast gelled well and although a little formulaic the story ran well. Nice to hear the native Italian tongue in amongst the English too.

Scott Foley carries the main lead well and Violante Placido is perfect in her role as town mayor. Some scenes are poignant, without too much schmaltz and there are essences of comedy thrown in too, with the three ladies who sit in the town square. But it is the scenery that really steals the show and makes the movie very watchable.

I would definitely watch this film again and would put it in my "easy watching" category.