the audience applauded

Such a frustrating disappointment

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

Too bad ... I had been hoping for a nice evening movie and then this! How predictable and awfully scripted and plotted can a script be? I was hoping for humor and all I got were childish lines, creamy smiles, and shiny eyes supposed to mirror the light of Tuscany's beautiful landscape. No deep or funny characters, no situational comedy, just a few weak and embarrassing tries at slapstick. I felt very sorry for Harvey Keitel to have had to endure this picture. His character, Parish, is supposed to be a world class writer but his prose is not even 3rd rate, shallow and pseudo-picturesque. The teacher-student relationship is not understandable at all - why would anyone bear this kid, why give him his daughter? Pathetic platitudes were all the viewer got. And this kid Joshua Jackson - or whatever is his name - was just a pancake of emotion and character: flat, boyish, unlikeable - nothing to identify or fall in love with. As for this picture, Claire Forlani should have been credited as Clearly Forlorn. Sadly, two thumbs down!

I loved this film from the start, Keitel is wonderful as always, the rest of the cast is well played, the film is great if you a big fan of Harvey Keitel, the rest of the cast of just a good comedy! But some may find it boring. Frankly I loved the film!!! If you like Harvey Keitel this may be a good movie to watch for you, some parts of this film is not family scenes, so if you'd like to watch a nice happy family movie with nothing bad and no adult language this might not be the best movie to gather your kids around the television to watch. This film does contain some adult situations that might not be suitable for some peoples children, I do think this is a wonderful film but some may not like it.

A fabulous movie for the romantic, both young and old, set in rural Italy with gorgeous scenery and lovely buildings and villages, and featuring lovely music. A bit of strong but dry humour splashed thru out to keep you smiling. Pleasingly, no bad language to speak of and no offensive scenes, a pleasant change these days. A nice easy storyline and well picked actors to fit the characters. Great for anyone with a passion for Italy as the attitude of the villagers is so very typical of the local Italians in a rural area of the Italian countryside. Definitely a delightful movie for all ages. Similar in my opinion to both Under the Tuscan Sun and Tea with Mussollini, yet not quite as dramatic a story line. Also similar in style to movies such as Nottinghill and Love Actually, even though I was not as familiar with the actors. If anyone enjoys a good romantic comedy then this is definitely for them. I saw this movie on a flight several months ago and have not forgotten it and have looked in every video store to find when it will be released. So it obviously stuck in my mind.

Tuscany is like a magnet for sentimental Americans: the landscape, the people, the appreciation of life emanates from the sunscapes and offers a paradise to world-weary viewers. And so it is that Tuscany is the true star of this little romantic film. Yet writer/director Brad Mirman clearly knows how to script and move a story that, while predictable, still carries us along with wonderful characters from a fine cast.Jeremy (Joshua Jackson) works for a publishing house in New York and is sent to Tuscany to coerce famous novelist Weldon Parish (Harvey Keitel) into ending his 20-year moratorium and write a new, 'bound to be best seller' novel. Parish has not written since he lost his beloved wife, becoming instead a rascal who spends his days basking in the lazy sun with his best friends the priest Father Moretti (Giancarlo Giannini), hotelier Gustavo (Armando Pucci) and his squeeze Amalia (Valeria Cavalli). He lives with his daughter Isabella (Claire Forlani) and is visited often by his other daughters Dinnie (Silvia De Santis) and Maura (Bianca Guaccero), each of whom hopes that their father will return to writing. Upon Jeremy's arrival he finds that everyone in the village is protective of Parish and when he finally meets the silent author, he discovers a man who loathes editors, publishers, press, and anyone else who wants him to start writing again. Gradually Jeremy and Parish begin to break down barriers: Jeremy admits that he longs to be a writer but fears failure and Parish admits that his silence at the typewriter is due to a similar fear. Jeremy falls in love with Isabella, becomes a part of Parish's drinking trio, undergoes some lessons in life .... and the ending is obvious from the start! Harvey Keitel gives a moving performance as the gritty but passionate writer, Joshua Jackson makes Jeremy a believably transitioned man, and the supporting cast is consistently excellent. It really doesn't matter that we know from the beginning just how things will turn out: it is the getting there that is the pleasure of this light but touching film. The only significant problems are in the editing: there appear to be stops and starts as though this were made for television with places for commercials. But other than that this is a film that only asks that we relax, nod recognition, and enjoy the theme of the importance of honesty and the quality of life available if we follow our dreams. Grady Harp