Toscana

I recommend seeing the movie. Seing Anders Matthesen in more serious roles is always fascinating but I think he does a great job. The storyline is a bit generic and not much new is brought to the table, but it is great still. Its a bit more heavy than your typical romance of this type, which is what makes it better than other movies of the same type.

Could be a good remake of A Good Year if the writers filled the loopholes in the script. Where's Toscana? Do you know where Parmigiano Reggiano is produced? How come a famous chef could be unaware of what's going on in Italy and its depth of gastronomy? Why do you need a fast paced love story? Exaggerated father issues of the protagonist etc.

This film is an odd duck. The colours are Italian. The scenery is Italian. The feeling is.. definitely not Italian. In a way, it's like Theo... awkwardly trying to process and integrate into a scenery and culture that is not their own and that they struggle to understand.

Yes, the change is way too rushed. The romance feels forced. But this is a man who has lost a father twice. Perhaps its odd tone reflects the inner turmoil Theo has to deal with before he finds his centre.

Frankly, a film full of stereotypes... all these Italians being over friendly, messy, and generally in need on Northern European guidance. And then, for a culinary film, to have Parmesan cheese in Tuscany.... Just not acceptable! Also let down by the very poor English dubbing.

As the opening credits eventually rolled, I was expecting a variation on the 'Love is all you need' theme, especially when Zeuten turned out to be the actor who played the son in that charming film, but this story just didn't hang together. The central romantic story of Theo and Sophia was implausible, and devoid of any believable chemistry between the actors. There were too many contrived moments, when one quietly thought 'yeah, right....you're kidding me', and occasional allusions to some past relationship problem with the chef's father, never made tangible or clear, It's a pity, with the beauty of the setting, and a potentially appealing cast. Promising ingredients, poorly assembled. Disappointing.