Mambo italiano (2003)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Émile Gaudreault

Writers:

Steve Galluccio (play)
Steve Galluccio (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 October 2003 (Slovenia)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Things change. Family doesn't.

Plot:

The son of Italian immigrants to Canada struggles to find the best way to reveal to his parents that he's gay.

Plot Keywords:

Gay | Italian | Immigrant | Childhood Friend | Gay Interest

Awards:

11 nominations

Cast

Luke Kirby	...	Angelo Barberini
Ginette Reno	...	Maria Barberini
Paul Sorvino	...	Gino Barberini
Mary Walsh	...	Lina Paventi
Peter Miller	...	Nino Paventi
Claudia Ferri	...	Anna Barberini
Sophie Lorain	...	Pina Lunetti
Tim Post	...	Peter
Tara Nicodemo	...	Yolanda / Woman in Airplane / Jolene
Pierrette Robitaille	...	Rosetta
Dino Tavarone	...	Giorgio
Mark Camacho	...	Johnny Christofaro
Michel Perron	...	Father Carmignani
Lou Vani	...	Marco
Diane Lavallée	...	Mélanie

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexual situations.

Runtime:

88 min | Canada:92 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | USA:99 min | Argentina:92 min | UK:85 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English | Italian | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Chile:Y7 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Germany:6 (f) | Argentina:13 | Canada:14A | Netherlands:AL | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Le Village Gai, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Cinémaginaire Inc.

Trivia:

Both the film and the play (which the film is based upon) are based on Steve Galluccio's own life and experiences.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In two shots, the Italian flag is shown back to front. On the television, and on the computer monitor the Italian flag is shown as red, white, and green. The colors of the flag are green, white, and red.

Quotes:

Anna: [after finding out about Angelo and Nino] I'm thrilled you two are a couple, yay. I reacted the way I did cause I saw my brother naked. You know, eew.

Movie Connections:

References "Dynasty" (1981)

Soundtrack:

Mama

100% entertainment & 100% gay positive

I saw a preview session of the Canadian romantic comedy Mambo Italiano last night (15th Oct '03) and this really is one of the very best gay themed films I've seen - and equally well suited to both a young and older audience.

I went to the preview because it had a gay theme - but quickly realised there's a lot more on offer - and a great deal of the film is about family and tradition. It's made with absolute honesty in regard to it's gay content, and as such is neither opportunistic nor preachy.

Mambo Italiano successfully avoids all likely clichés with a beautifully crafted script, first class acting and some of the best editing I've seen in any motion picture. And it looks spectacular - verging on surreal.

I thought it was wonderful that the predominantly young and mixed (and presumably straight) crowd all laughed, swooned, sobbed and cringed - although not all at the same time - proving that there are a lot of angles to this film which will appeal to a very broad audience.

Mambo Italiano is the best time I've had in a movie theatre in the last couple of years - and it thoroughly deserves commercial success.

I like that the TV adverts are give none of the film away, in fact understating how good it really is. You'll be surprised - it's the sort of film you'd love to see twice.

"Gayline" telephone counsellors around the globe will have to forgive one aspect of the plot (the lack of adequate training before going on-line), but they'll get a kick out of the fact that they're a key plot line.