Good concept, poorly executed.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

As American living in Italy, I can assure anyone that the main character is realistically impersonated and she had enough of the Italian typical man depicted by her husband. The movie reflects on the freedom of spirit that cannot be withheld by anyone but also upon human relationships, gossip, interpretations and misinterpretations of news, facts or subjective experiences. Perfect chosen scene for the movie, not only for the unique lagoons and architecture of Venice but also for the romance spirit lingering in every of its corner. Besides, it was a good opportunity for extensive advertising around the world. This is an Italian spoken movie with English subtitles but easy to pick up on Italian for those who would like to learn it. Recommended for light viewing.

This film is of the zany humor variety. I have to say it took me a little while to get into the mood necessary to enjoy it.But once there ... a viewer will find an endless amount of material to be amused by... every detail in every set has meaning----well bizarreness is a better word.If you liked Blazing Saddles you will like this movie.If you find this phrase funny: Your wife has been found she is an accordion player in a florists shop...you will like this movie.Unfortunately I am almost 60 now and a little of this kind of thing goes a long ways now.Also some of the zaniness is just a little too bizarre to be "effective"

It is a quaint, dreamy theme. A woman strays from a tourist group to finally find herself moving to Venice. For once she wants to do what she wants to. Her past life is marked by a stereotypical role of being a wife and mother which to some extent is thankless. Her new life in Venice takes her away from a predictable mundane existence to that of a life of youth, vitality, adventure and love. She after years feels loved. Though she gets back to her family but never connects to them again.It is time to move back to Venice with her true love.... For once a movie does not expect a woman to be a mother and wife but expects her to be what she wants to be.

"Bread and Tulips (Pane e tulipani)" is a delightful movie for grown-ups.Even though I missed the first minute of the opening due to subway delays, as I stumbled through a packed theater of hard-of-hearing senior citizens who go to foreign movies to read the subtitles and re-tell the plot turns loudly to each other) I could sure relate to it: middle-aged mom on vacation with Grouchy Dad and sarcastic teen boys, having to carry around all the emergency supplies and tourist tchotchkas, getting ignored by one and all.From there it turns into a wonderful screwball laugh out loud comedy of quirky characters and unexpected life stories, some revealed suddenly, some unpeeled slowly, as chance encounters lead to surprising changes, though I couldn't move to clear my view so big heads made me miss key parts of some complicated explanations.While the Earth Mother is captivating, the unfair flaw is the unsympathetic husband to justify the fantasy ending, though I think his character may reflect some conventions of Italian comedy that don't quite translate well here.At the long line in the ladies room afterwards, a fluent Italian speaker praised the subtitle translations and pointed out that the family's hometown is very much not a tourist destination, so is rarely seen in films, contrasted nicely with the scenes in Venice.(originally written 7/28/2001)