Toscana

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 a Dane, Anders Matthesen is an insitution in himself; he is one of the most wellknown stand-up comedians we have in our country, and to see him tackle on a more serious role is quite refreshing. Also, I am quite a foodie myself, working as a food prepper at a deli and as a home cook/food blogger, and to me the highlight of the movie was showcasing Tuscan cuisine as well as the beauty of Tuscany. However, the script and plot of the movie was not very spectacular in execution and felt kind of tired after a while, and while some of the characters were quite likeable, in the end they made a lot of choices that didn't really make any sense.

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.

This multilingual film doesn't deliver on its promise. The story is supposed to be full of drama but the actors don't quite capture it even if they tried. They simply don't rise to the occasion.

The saving grace? Idyllic Tuscan countryside which is a feast for the eyes rendered in soft palette.

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.