VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Konterr Brilliant and touching

Fulke Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Panamint Beautiful photography and atmospherics capture Florence and environs. Technically very well-made and expensive-looking production.Kristin Scott Thomas is perfect for the role and gives a terrific performance. The other cast members just seem to be giving their "standard" performance (Bancroft's standard mature woman routine that no one does better but she has done it since "The Hindenburg"). Ditto James Fox and the others.The late William Holden could not have accomplished what Sean Penn did in "Mystic River", for which Penn gained a well deserved Oscar award. Conversely, Penn cannot play the Holden-type role in "Up at the Villa". Bad case of miscasting with flat results by Penn. No chemistry with Kristin Scott Thomas at all.How can you make a dull, uninspiring film in an exotic setting with great actors in a highly charged brink-of-war scenario? SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE BUT THE FILMMAKER HERE HAS DONE IT!

httpmom Well, great costumes and a wonderful `feel' for Pre WWII Italy. But what happened here? Great actors...Kristin Scott Thomas, Sean Penn, Anne Bancroft, James Fox, Derek Jacobi ...if you can't get memorable performances out of this `A List' then the problem with this movie must be blamed on pitiful direction and an inadequate script. I rented this on DVD after having liked "Angels & Insects" (1995) also directed by Philip Haas. Yipes! I can hardly believe how dull this thing was. It just dragged on and on and no one was able to save the poor thing. This is not even a good intriguing-foreign-dudes-and-young-things-in- pretty-clothes chick flick!"Tea With Mussolini" Gone Amuck!

Theo Robertson UP AT THE VILLA fooled me into thinking I`d be watching something similar to GOSFORD PARK . The film opens at a ballroom in 1930s Italy which is populated by vulgar Americans and uptight upper class Brits , but in truth UP AT THE VILLA plays out far more like a Merchant -Ivory production which is very bad news because it`s a very slow , and I do mean very slow romantic drama with some of the romance being very unlikely . If you like slow romantic dramas you might like this movie . I didn`t

serendip Not enough action, not enough excitement, no explosions, blah blah...This seems to be common complaint amongst previous comments on this film. To which I say "so what". Must every film be a 'major Hollywood event" or "cinematic experience"? This film featured good performance from a fine cast and was well worth spending two hours over. It is also good to see cinematic attention given to Somerset Maugham's work.Kristen Scott Thomas and Sean Penn held the limelight throughout, and that's no bad thing. I'll be honest, I could watch KST standing still for two hours and still be enthralled, and her performance here is radiant. Sean Penn also delivers an understated, and underrated, version of playboy Rolly Flint. Combine glorious backdrops and a good supporting cast, and what's to complain about?