Binding:

DVD

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EAN:

0003393703831

Label:

Questar

Manufacturer:

Questar

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The moment Uncle Nino (Pierrino Mascarino) steps off the plane on American soil, in this family tale, you know you're in for culture clash. But just how different are Americans and Italians? Charming moments in Uncle Nino--some comical, some tragic--answer this question. The tranquil Italian countryside that Uncle Nino leaves to visit his nephew, Robert Micelli (Joe Mantegna), make the Micelli family's Glenview, Illinois home look like a deadbeat, suburban nightmare. Uncle Nino's story hinges upon showing the viewer how dull the American daily grind can be, in hopes of reviving passion for family life. In this tale, Robert's wife, Marie (Anne Archer), misses her career-obsessed husband and struggles to communicate with their teenage son, Bobby (Trevor Morgan), who wants to play in a rock band, and daughter, Gina (Gina Mantegna), who longs for a puppy. One can instantly sense a craving for excitement in this bland household. When Nino arrives, fresh flowers appear in vases, the wine flows, and pizza parties start. Sure, Nino is a caricature, but he's there to make one stop and smell the roses, literally (he's a gardening fan). Though the film is clearly well-intentioned, the story is didactic and heavy-handed. Uncle Nino's sentimentality is undeniable, especially in the ending scenes. A heart-warmer is perfect sometimes, but not if one knows where the film is going from the start. For films that reunite disconnected family, it may be better to revisit some 80s pop classics, like E.T. or Goonies, because they push a similar message--don't knock the outsider, kids!--with more fantastic originality. The worst thing about this film is that it stereotypes Italians from the same American perspective it criticizes. --Trinie Dalton

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