Happy Family

In Sydney we get lots of film festivals. Each year we get ones from one specific country. At this years Italian Film Festival. I noticed in the program a couple of films which looked interesting.

As a script writer I've always been interested in films about script writers. I liked this film for that aspect but also because of the way it is told. All the characters spend the first half of the film talking to camera and telling you all about their lives. It is a very unconventional technique that is not used much because you have to know how to use it and it can be used badly. It is kind of like narration, which you are told is lazy writing. It helps though as it gives you all the back story to the story and characters in this film the writer is trying to write. But he is having a lot of trouble with the film and ends up writing himself into it. The characters in his film talk to him as well asking why their lives have been written the way he has and how things should go. I kind of wish this could happen in real life as it would be nice to have your film character talk to you and you can help guide their story. But then again a good writer will have crafted excellent characters that can talk to him like they were real people. It is quite a funny film as we have these two families brought together when their son and daughter want to get married. The only problem I had with the film was the daughters motivation for getting married. She did not seem to keen on the idea but just goes along with it. Considering these kids are only 16 years-old the parents do not seem to upset they are getting married so young.

Fabio De Luigi is excellent as the writer trying to battle his characters and own insecurities to get the script completed. The fathers of the two teenagers are also great fun. Fabrizio Bentivoglio as the boy's father hiding a secret is nicely reserved as he plays well of the more outgoing father of the girl played by Diego Abatantuono.

An excellent and unusually told story of two families brought together. As well as a funny look at a writer trying to get his film written.