Everybody’s Fine 2009

     Matteo Scuro is a retired Sicilian bureaucrat, in his job he is mainly responsible for the writing of birth certificates and he is the father of five children.  All of his children live on the mainland and hold responsible jobs.  He decides to surprise each child with a visit to see how they live.  This film is a pictorial travelogue across contemporary Italy as Matteo journeys to Naples, Rome, Florence, Milan and Turin to visit with each of his sons.  

   
     Throughout the movie, Matteo is haunted by dreams of a beautiful Felliniesque day at a beach in which a caravan of horses are destroyed by an ominous descending black balloon that also steals his children.  This isn't the only scene in the film that is inspired by Fellini, there are a LOT of things shown that echo the great Fellini's work.  Including, a shot of a bus driving by our main character, the passengers have their hands on the windows and they are glaringly staring at him.  This a very warm, sentimental film and I thought it was quite wonderful.  Legendary composer Ennio Morricone's extraordinary score fits the film like a glove.  There is another film with the same title with Robert DeNiro, Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell and Drew Barrymore also from 2009.

     Tornatore's follow-up to Cinema Paradiso isn't quite so dewy-eyed but will still have cynics throwing up into their popcorn?  Amiable old buffer Matteo (Mastroianni) lives a lonely life in Sicily.  On a whim, he and travels to the mainland.  His aim is to reunite with his family round a dinner table.  His children seem strangely embarrassed by him.  Contrasted with the highly unsatisfactory behavior of his adult offspring are his vivid memories of them as children.  His son Alvaro remains absent and as the old man camps miserably on the doorstep, young Alvaro (the terminally cute Cascio) shimmers into view.  There is a melodramatic plot lurch, a haunting dream sequence, a well-handled autumnal love affair and a neat twist at the end.  Like Cinema Paradiso, it's expertly manipulative and good-looking though a bit darker.  Mastroianni runs or jumps through his scenes.  3* (This movie is OK)


118 min Drama directed and written by Giuseppe Tornatore and also written by Massimo De Rita and Tonion Guerra with Marcello Mastroianni, Michele Morgan Valerai Cavalli, Marino Cenna, Norma Martelli, Roberto Nobile, Salvatore Cascio, Matteo Lo Piparo, Mariangela Randazzo Gaia Restino, Leo Gullotta, Antonella Attili, Nicola Di Pinto, Sylvie Fennec, Christopher Thompson, Ennion Morricone.

Note:  Imdb 7.7* out of 10* with 3626 reviews, 78% with 9 critic reviews 87% with 500+ audience scores, Amazon 4.8* out of 5* with 14 ratings, Austin Chronicle 3* out of 5*.

Special Note:  This is the final theatrical film of Michele Morgan.  Cameo Ennio Morricone is the music director of La Traviata.  Filmed in Florence, Tuscany; Milan, Lombardia; Rimini, Emilia-Romagna; Rome, Lazio; Turin, Piedmont, Italy.  This is a remake of the 1990 film Connections.