BroadcastChic Excellent, a Must See

Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Orla Zuniga It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

paul2001sw-1 Ferzan Ozpetek's movie Loose Cannons' is an enjoyable portrait of an Italian family struggling to come to terms with their children's sexuality. After one clever early plot development, the rest is fairly predictable, and behind the immediate story, the picture of Italy (in a film directed by a Turk) is idealised and gorgeous, the Italy of a vacation rather than of real life. But it's nicely put together, observant and funny, and the comedic elements prevent the film's fundamental softness from grating. In some ways, it's like an episode of 'Inspector Montalbano', only stripped of machismo and replaced with a rather different flavour.

robert-temple-1 This is another triumph by the brilliant Italian director of Turkish descent, Ferzan Ozpetek, whose SACRED HEART (2005, see my review) and FACING WINDOW (2003, see my review) were such spectacular cinematic masterpieces. In this complex ensemble film, much of which is comic and intensely satirical, human intolerance is examined with a microscope. The main focus is homophobia. The film is set in the Italian town of Lecce. The father in the film, who is the most extreme homophobe imaginable, has two unmarried sons in their late twenties or early thirties, both of whom he believes to be 'normal'. In fact, both are homosexual. One is just about to come out of the closet at a family dinner when his brother, who has been fore-warned of this, leaps up and comes out of the closet instead, thus diverting the father's inevitable wrath to himself and sparing his brother. So the one who confesses is expelled from the house (never darken my door again, you are not my son) and the family business (a huge pasta factory), while the other remains, conscience-stricken, not now daring to open his mouth about his own sexual inclinations. We are expected to believe that neither brother knew the other was gay. That works well for the story, though in real life I think it most unlikely! The film is a richly-textured tale with many characters, exploring the ironies, contradictions, insensitivities and over-sensitivities of our strange species with relentless humour, laughter, and despair. Once again, that compassionate and concerned observer of human tragedies and foibles, Ozpetek, pulls it off!

carlinafox I saw this movie at the Chicago International Film Festival, along with 18 other movies, and it was, by far, the best movie in the festival. It was the only movie I attended that was applauded by the audience at the end of the film. I see that one of the film critics commented that the film was uneven because it couldn't make up its mind whether it was a comedy or a drama. It was both and worked on both levels, which is one of the reasons I loved it. it made me laugh and it made me cry. I think the best art is often like that. Gabriel Garcia Marquez' book "100 Years of Solitude" and Joseph Heller's "Catch 22" are examples of books that are very funny and very sad, sometimes for exactly the same reasons. I hope this film will be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It deserves the recognition.

nandoferrer This is one of the best movies of the year,a wonderful tale of hope,friendship,love and family.For those who want to laugh, cry and especially think about matters that are, ultimately, uncomplicated and simple to think about.The actors are all simply wonderful, the musical score a must, and the script consistent with the aim of the picture: to tell a tale about living life to the hilt, and being happy the way one is.The most beautiful and unforgettable moments are related to the on-screen presence of Tommaso, Marco, Alba and 'the nonna'.This is for me one of the best movies of 2010 and a wonderful,sensitive and unforgettable tale!