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Bread and Tulips 2000 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Silvio Soldini
PG-13, 112 min. (brief language, sensuality) |
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Starring: Licia Maglietta, Bruno Ganz, Marina Massironi, Giuseppe Battiston, Felice Andreasi, Antonio Catania
Producers: Daniele Maggioni
Screenplay: Silvio Soldini, Doriana Leondeff
Cinematography: Luca Bigazzi
Distributor: First Look Pictures
Released: 7.27.01 (Limited)
(In Italian with subtitles) |
Rating:
 (out of ) |
Bread and Tulips took Italy by storm in 2000, winning nine David Di Donatello Awards (their version of the Oscars),
with an irresistible romantic comedy that puts a smile on almost all who see it. Bolstered by standout performances from
its well-casted characters, the film accomplishes its goal of satisfying audiences without delving into the vast array of
clichés or contrivances necessary from most similar efforts. Bread and Tulips is an amazingly simple, cute,
and somewhat ambiguous picture that doesn't try to make any sensational statements about life, but instead presents
a genial story complemented by wonderful acting performances. Any critic would be hard pressed to find many
faults with this delightful piece of cinema.
Rosalba (Licia Maglietta) is a 40-ish housewife with two sons, amused at the simple things in life. She's affable and sweet,
but not really an intellectual. While on vacation with her family, she is inadvertantly left behind at a rest stop (they're on
a bus tour) while in the restroom and instead of waiting for her husband's return, she hitchhikes her way to Venice, a
place she's always wanted to visit. Soon she meets Fernando (Bruno Ganz), an older waiter who offers his apartment
as a place to stay for a while, gets a job at a flower shop, and forms a close friendship with Grazia (Marina Massironi),
a masseuse who lives next door. Rosalba's newfound sense of freedom and escape from an underappreciated life
back home clouds her better judgment, leaving her family vexed at her disappearance. Her husband sends a
plumber, Costantino (Giuseppe Battiston), disguised as a private investigator to uncover her whereabouts and to demand that she returns home. This
leads to a cat and mouse game that takes an unexpected turn when Costantino falls for Grazia.
Without question, the film's success falls squarely on the very capable shoulders of Licia Maglietta, who gives a charming,
intimate portrayal of a girl's innocent curiousity that's trapped in an older woman's body. She's thrilled at the opportunity
to get away, to prove to herself that she can be independent, and most importantly find true love (her unfaithful husband
is a bore). Maglietta gives a refreshing, laid-back performance, one that seems so ordinary and easy that you hardly
notice how good it is until the end credits roll. She was deserving of the awards that came her way for it.
It's no coincidence that Venice is the muse for Rosalba's mundane life. Consistently portrayed as the leisurely city on water
where lovers make their escape, Venice provides suitable but not essential surroundings for the story. For this particular
film the setting is not as important as the characters, and ultimately the city of Venice itself is not really featured as much
as one would expect. It's a good thing too, because it would have taken away from the important elements in the story,
mainly peoples' lives that are shaken by Rosalba's resolve.
While Maglietta is a shining beacon in the film, supporting performances from Ganz, Massironi, and Battiston are also
admirable for the way they imbue a believability and freshness into characters that may seem only ordinary at first glance.
Although in a way they are ordinary, if you look a little deeper, you'll discover the inner lights that seem to glow when
Rosalba is around them. The result is a cast that is so in tune with each other that it hardly seems like you're watching
a fictional account on the screen. Bread and Tulips is so disarming and pleasant, it's hard to see anything else besides
the relationships that are built and reinforced by the candor and intelligent directing of Daniele Maggioni. He's given his
audience something that's worth investing their precious time and money. On all fronts, Bread and Tulips shines.
© 2001 Jonathan Cornwell
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 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
 | Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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