I saw this last month at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. This is a good offering from Italy and director/writer Daniele Luchetti who co-wrote the screenplay with Sandro Petraglia and Stefano Rulli based on the semi-autobiographical novel Il Fasciocmunista by Antonio Pennacchi. The story takes us from 1962 to around 1977 and as it begins we follow Accio Benano (Vittorrio Emanuele Popizo) who is a scrappy little mischief-maker who loves to fight and ends up in a seminary to study for the priesthood. This falls through and he returns home to his mother and father and older sister and brother. They live in a small town that was created by WWII era fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. The family home and most others in town are falling apart and the community awaits long promised new government housing from the current series of governments but the housing that is already constructed sits unoccupied. The older Accio (Elio Germano) has grown into an even more mischievous and rebellious young man and through his friendship with Mario (Luca Zingaretti), a Mussalini sympathizer who longs for the old days he joins the local Fascist party. This is in direct contrast to his family who are communist sympathizers and Accio older, charismatic and handsome brother Manrico (Riccardo Scamarcio) has joined the local communist party and is involved in organizing workers at the factory where he works. Accio has an eye for Manrico's girlfriend Francesca (Diane Fleri) and Mario's wife Bella (Anna Bonaiuto) has a Mrs. Robinson kind of attraction to Accio. This is a drama with plenty of smart comedy. An excellent cast and director Luchetti get the most out of them. It's a simple story that never bogs down and keeps moving with good dialog interesting situations. I would give this an 8.0 out of 10 and recommend it.
Review of Mio fratello è figlio unico
