Grief can be a funny thing. Often times, those who carry it can appear normal on the outside, going about life as if nothing’s wrong. But just beneath the surface, the inability to move past trauma can have an indelible effect on the lives of those still suffering from the past. James D’Arcy’s feature length debut explores a group of people all struggling individually with love, loss, and the resulting grief who meet by chance in Italy.
Made In Italy is set in Tuscany and follows Jack Foster (Micheál Richardson), the owner of an art gallery in the midst of a painful divorce. Jack sets to Italy with his bohemian London artist father Robert (Liam Neeson) to make a quick sale of the house they inherited from Jack’s mother who died tragically in a car accident when Jack was a young boy. Upon finding the beautiful Tuscan villa in a state of disrepair, father and son must renovate in order to find a buyer. They soon find themselves at odds.Jack meets soon falls for Natalia (Valeria Bilello), a young local chef, and begins to build a relationship with her as he and his father try to mend their relationship.
Nearly every character we spend a substantial amount of time with in Made in Italy is haunted by a past love lost. Two divorces in the cases of Jack and Natalia, the tragic and gruesome death of his wife for Robert, and even a recent split with her husband for the Fosters’ realtor Kate (Lindsay Duncan). Each of these characters holds onto their grief, pain, and guilt surrounding the circumstances of their breakups, driving both their subsequent life choices and their interpersonal relationships with one another, resulting in stagnation for them and their lives. There is a lesson in the film’s theme that we can carry with us through our own trials and tribulations with handling grief and the resulting pain. There’s no shame in grieving and certain heartbreaking experiences in our lives will always remain with us even through our best attempts at healing. Despite this, it is important that we confront and deal with our pain as best we can so it becomes a path toward healing and not a weight holding us back. The characters we meet in Made in Italy each come to realize this in their own way.
Made in Italy may be a straightforward rom-com but director James D’Arcy’s creativity with the cinematography is a welcome addition. He creates some variety with standout tracking shots, close-ups, and angles that add some flair. Despite its attempts to get inventive with the camera work, Made in Italy itself doesn’t have much new to offer in terms of its story from other romantic dramedies you’ve seen before. It is a well-made film, particularly for a debut filmmaker, but it is too derivative to receive too high praise. The cast all put in quality performances, but not enough to elevate the material past being just another romantic comedy. Made in Italy is serviceable, but unspectacular.
Image: IFC Films
