Under the Amalfi Sun
Not so much a movie, more a travelogue for the Italian tourist industry.
The title says it all and that is the most attractive thing about this film. It is impossible not to find any part of the Italian coastal resort of Amalfi that is not more photogenic, so that between them director Martina Pastori and cinematographer Edoardo Carlo Bolli have captured some of the most breathtaking views of this gorgeous seaside town. It makes a luscious backdrop to a plot that deserves more than the clichés that pass for a screenplay.
If you are a follower of the Netflix romcom output, this one may very well sound familiar. Apparently, it is a sequel to Under the Riccione Sun from 2020, taking up the story of Camilla (Ludovica Martino) returning to Amalfi to reunite with her boyfriend Vincenzo (Lorenzo Zurzolo) after spending a year in Canada. On her arrival, Vincenzo plans to ask Camilla to stay and live with him. Camilla's best friend Natalie (Kyshan Wilson) comes with her, fresh from being let down by her own ex-boyfriend. While Vincenzo and Camilla relight their passion, Natalie becomes attached to Vincenzo's buddy, Furio (Davide Calgaro), a sad sack who cannot get and keep a girl for more than five minutes.
However, when the quartet get out and about around Amalfi they meet up with Vincenzo’s so-called adopted ‘brother’ Hans (Nicolas Maupas) to whom Natalie is instantly attracted. Then Furio becomes doggedly enamoured of another friend, the cool as a cuke Rebecca (Elena Funari), who is obviously not interested in the panting lapdog in pursuit of her. Further complications ensue when Vincenzo's mother Irene (Isabella Ferrari) turns up with her partner Lucio (Luca Ward) and they all encounter Vincenzo’s real father, Roberto (Andrea Occhipinti) who had left the family many moons ago. Lucio is jealous of Irene, worried that she might get back with Roberto. That and the fact that Camilla has been offered another job in Canada doesn’t help because she can’t bear to tell Vincenzo.
Of course, this is a multi-layered romcom where every couple has a relationship problem. On top of that is the fact that, unless you have seen Under the Riccione Sun you won’t realise that Vincenzo is actually blind, information here denied to us, the audience, until it becomes obvious when the boy is white-sticking his way around the beauty spots of Amalfi. It's a good-looking movie with pretty people falling in and out of love so, you might ask, what more do you want in a romcom? Well, how about a bit of originality plot-wise, a few half-believable characters and some freshly-hewn dialogue that takes its audience by surprise? That said, it looks good, the scenery is stunning and the story won’t keep you awake at night. And if that is enough, then go for it. Me? I'm out of here.
Original title: Sotto il sole di Amalfi.
MICHAEL DARVELL
Cast Lorenzo Zurzolo, Ludovica Martino, Isabella Ferrari, Luca Ward, Davide Calgaro, Kyshan Wilson, Nicolas Maupas, Elena Funari.
Dir Martina Pastori, Pro Mattia Guerra, Stefano Massenzi and Andrea Occhipinti, Screenplay Caterina Salvadori, Enrico Vanzina and Ciro Zecca, Ph Edoardo Carlo Bolli, Ed Gianluca Scarpa, Music Supervisor Giovanni Arcadu, Sound Matteo Bendinelli.
Lucky Red-Netflix.
95 mins. 2022. Italy. UK and US Rel: 13 July 2022. Cert. 12.