ScoobyWell
Great visuals, story delivers no surprises
ScoobyMint
Disappointment for a huge fan!
Phillipa
Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.
carl-axness
i saw the Spanish dubbed version of this film with my wife who is a Spanish Civil Servant. The Spanish Civil Service and government structure is similar to that of Italy, so the humor, much of which rests upon the way the system works, is easily understood in Spain. Both of us thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and I heard my wife on at least a couple of occasions guessing the next bureaucratic maneuver that the recalcitant civil servant would use in his effort to maintain his position. The film effectively uses both Nordic and Latin stereotypes. It brought me back to the days of my youth, when movies such as "La Dolce Vita" or "Bread and Chocolate" made me laugh out loud, while providing me with an education on the difference between cultures.
dromasca
The second film we have seen at the Italian film festival was an entertaining comedy starring one of the most popular actors and singers in Italy nowadays. The title 'Quo vado?' may send to serious philosophical and even Biblical connotations, but it's actually a light-heart comedy about the Italy and Europe of today.It's probably good not to take this film too seriously, especially using the political correctness filter. The main hero is a mid-class, mid-age, bold type living with his parents and enjoying what seems to be a for-life bureaucratic public servant position in a small place somewhere in Italy. One sunny day the skies fall on his head, as his job is going to be terminated because of an efficiency campaign. He either should resign, pocket some termination bonus and give up the good life, or fight for his job - which means being sent to all extreme places to perform the extreme job an Italian clerk is supposed to perform. The hero is sexist, ethnic prejudices and stereotypes abound, and he undeservedly accommodates any place and gets the smart and beautiful girl at the end (who just happens to have three different kids of three different races without having evener been married. No-PC? Thanks, God! Funny? yes - most of the time. Original? Not really, but who cares as long as we have a good time.Director Gennaro Nunziante relies on a script that could be as well the skeleton of a theater comedy or musical show, and on his leading star actor Checco Zalone who is apparently popular enough in Italy to assume the risk of lending his name to the hero. A few holy cows are tickled just enough not to cause too many waves and allow for the good spirit of comedy to prevail. It's easy but not stupid entertainment, and with this state of mind many viewers will enjoy it, I believe.
sugarmack
This film does a great job of parodying Italian stereotypes, especially, as others have mentioned, the tenured public servant. It features a fairly deplorable lead character, Checco Zalone, who embodies stereotypes of laziness, sexism and racism. His counterpart, played by Giovanardi, is his opposite: the modern, empowered woman, who has a past that would generally disturb more traditional conservatives, but which is obviously celebrated in the film. This film tries to parody Zalone's sexism and Euro-centric racism and rudeness, and attempts to demonstrate character growth in Zalone by mildly watering down these characteristics. However, ultimately it celebrates all of these things, by rewarding Zalone with the beautiful and incredible Valeria (why do obnoxious anti- heroes always get these types of intelligent women?) Stereotypes of ferocious, 'tribal Africans' (seemingly conflating Himba and Hamer peoples, while possibly being located in the Horn of Africa) go unquestioned, and, of course, end up loving the protagonist. Despite being offensive, if you actually want to think about the film's subtext, the film is well-paced, and offers some hilarious moments. Each actor plays his/her part admirably, and direction and editing are spot on. To those who advise not to take this film too seriously, perhaps examine the privileges you have that allow you to ignore repeated negative, stereotypes, and the triumph of the white male, regardless of his characteristics, in the vast majority of films, which contribute to reinforcing our daily acceptance of these things.
glr-9
I laughed out loud, most of the film, and I'm not sure why. It felt almost like a dirty pleasure. The movie portrays and even celebrates several aspects of Latin/Mediterranean cultures (which are to a great extent inherited by most Latin American countries). I felt it represented my people and it resonated with me.It does a great job caricaturing the profile of the natural born public worker, who aspires nothing more than a post in public office and the security that comes with it.It uses Nordic cultures to contrast traditional Italian values, and how the world is changing, and what is politically correct, versus what older generations expected.All in all I found it a refreshing break from Hollywood based humor and mindset, the whole you gotta be a winner thing, you gotta be a passionate worker vs the more plain joy de vivre that celebrates life, and does not need work to justify its existence.
