Angela (2002)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Roberta Torre

Writers:

Massimo D'Anolfi (screenplay)
Roberta Torre (writer)

Release Date:

30 October 2002 (Italy)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Plot:

True story of an attractive Sicilian mob-wife who participates in her husband's drug-dealing business and falls for her husband's lackey. |

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Donatella Finocchiaro	...	Angela
Andrea Di Stefano	...	Masino
Mario Pupella	...	Saro
Toni Gambino	...	Santino
Erasmo Lobello	...	Mimmo
Maria Mistretta	...	Minica
Giuseppe Pettinato	...	Raffaele Santangelo
Matteo Gulino	...	Paolino
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sergio Ruffino	...	Passer-by

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality, language, drug content and brief violence.

Runtime:

UK:91 min | France:95 min (Cannes Film Festival) | Japan:95 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Brazil:18 | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Australia:M | France:U | UK:15 | USA:R

Company:

Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali (MiBAC)

A Moody Bit of Sicilian Life and Crime

Italian director Roberta Torre co-wrote with Massimo D'Anolfi this little film based on a true story of an incident in 1984 Sicily that revealed the integration of home life with crime in a quietly subtle way. Expect no major crime scenes (with one exception) and don't look for a THE SOPRANOS spin-off and the film will entertain because it is an honest attempt to demonstrate how passion can upset even the most controlled crime syndicate.

Angela (the very beautiful Donatella Finocchiaro) is married to Rosario 'Saro' Parlagreco (Mario Pupella), a shoe store owner in Palermo where Angela works - not only selling shoes but also selling drugs in a very cleverly devised crime syndicate run by her husband. Saro gives her jewels and money and all the things that are supposed to make a wife happy. But when Angela's interest in the business/drug trafficking wanes, Saro brings on handsome Masino (Andrea Di Stefano) to brighten the scene. The police are watching the operation, attempting to capture evidence to shut down the drug business. When Angela and Masino begin a rather torrid affair the police photograph their liaisons and this leads to the destruction of the shoe store drug business. The entire group is jailed with Angela and Manino being released on house arrest. But when Saro is informed by the police of his wife's infidelity the theme becomes operatic and the resolution of the true story is typical Sicilian drama.

The movie is slight, short, in Italian with English subtitles, and is well wroth watching for the pleasure of Donatella Finocchiaro's presence. It is fascinating to see how even a small drug operation can have such impact on a real family. Grady Harp