The Bread, My Sweet

First of all, make sure you eat before seeing this film. Preferably a loaf of homemade bread dipped in olive oil and a slice or two of brachiole. Follow with a desert of assorted biscotti and a slice of berry pie, and wash it all down with several glasses of homemade wine. Okay, now we can begin.

Like a fine meal joyfully prepared by hands that love you and shared with those whose company you most enjoy, this film will make you feel warm and connected -- to the earth, to humanity, to the one place in all the wide world that is yours and yours alone. Be prepared to laugh, be prepared to cry. Be prepared to leave the movie theater with a persistent urge to run to those you love and hug them for a long, long time. They may be imperfect, they may (occasionally or often) drive you crazy. But they are what keeps you from spinning off into the cold, dark, impersonal world. They are your reflection, your heart, your soul. Savor their company while you are together, and even when they are gone you will always have them with you.

And, whatever you do, follow your heart. It is so much wiser than your head. Or, better yet, follow your stomach. Let it lead you home.

I had hoped this would be a light romantic film and the critic's reviews were certainly encouraging. Still it seemed like it might be a made for television movie, simple and sweet but nothing extraordinary. It was wonderfully surprising though. I thought the scheme to marry to make the mother happy would be unbelievable but they pulled it off. It actually had a very realistic touch to the writing. And the direction was superb, very subtle, again keeping the character's realistic. All of the cast were terrific but Scott Baio, Kristen Minter and Rosemary Prinz were incredible. Definitely a sleeper, very heartwarming and incredibly well done! One of the greatest unknown romantic gem's you'll ever find.

At first, I liked this movie because it's set almost entirely in the Strip District of Pittsburgh (a favorite haunt of mine & my husband's), and truly reflects the spirit of the place. The bakery interiors look like they were shot inside the real Enrico Biscotti, a great Italian bakery in the Strip--apparently the owner/baker is the director's husband. The Strip District is Pittsburgh's foodie heaven, so I was drawn into watching this one afternoon. But the sweet, character-driven story is what kept me watching. I've lived in Pittsburgh for 40 years, and these characters are realistic, not stereotypes. Scott Baio has definitely moved beyond "Happy Days", and the rest of the cast does a fine job. I love that his character spends his time away from his soulless corporate job baking, not only because his brothers work there and need their jobs, but because it keeps him grounded. I think of this film as a little gem. It's a sweet story, fairly well told.

Yeah, sure, you can say that this film is stereotypical. But being Italian myself, and coming from an Italian family, I have to say that this film was not stereotypical - atypical maybe. But if you want to bemoan this film for it's racial designations and characters, you might want to see "My Big fat Greek Wedding" first. You want stereotypical? That film will give it to you. It covered each and every cliche' possible, and everyone laughed. So what?

TBMS is a good film. It's lighting can be off at times, and the camera work is slightly jumpy, but I still believe it's better than a lot of boring hollywood productions I have seen as of late. The story is original, and if anyone wants to say that the acting was "wooden", you might want to take a look at the performance by Rosemary Prinz; it's impressive, and is not cliched like Greek Wedding; she actually seems like she's from Italy. Scott Baio is impressive in a role that only he could play, and at least he's Italian, dammit! How many more films do I have to see with someone playing an ethnicity they know nothing about? Baio thankfully jumped into this role, adding a touch of flavor to a role that probably would have been occupied by someone boring and overblown.

The rest of the supporting cast is well-played, with the exception of "Sister Grace", who was probably pulled off the street and thrown into a Nun's uniform. John Seitz plays Massimo beautifully; he reminds me of oh so many old Italians I have known.

And finally, this film does for me what many never accomplish; it made me feel like I was in the environment it took place in. If you want Italians to be "touchy-feely" all the time, go see something else. Italians are gruff, loud, and self-centered, but inside most all of us have big hearts and want to take care of those around us. This film portrays that characteristic well, and if you didn't cry, tough luck, I guess you really are wooden. I'm going to go eat some Biscotti.

What a beautiful movie! It's fun, romantic, sexy, and heartbreaking. Like many women born in 1970, I liked Scott Baio before I saw this movie, now I LOVE him. He does a fantastic job in this film. All of the performances are good - Rosemary Prinz as Bella is superb. Melissa Martin's screenplay and direction are first rate. Even though you'll cry (and you will cry, unless you have a heart of stone), this is one of those genuine, life-affirming, feel-good movies that do not come along too often. Do yourself a favor and see this movie, then tell all of your friends to do the same.