Italian for Beginners (2000)
An understated, lighthearted romantic comedy made much more naturalistic through the Dogme ethos
7.0
Movie
d, Denmark
Danish, Italian
Comedy, Drama, Romance
2000
FEMALE DIRECTOR, LONE SCHERFIG
Anders W. Berthelsen, Anette Støvelbæk, Ann Eleonora Jørgensen
112 min
TLDR
Movie overall = 7/10. Actual Italian language tutelage = 1/10.
What it's about
Looking for a change in their lives, six lonely adults in Copenhagen take a beginner’s language class to learn about love and the Italian language.
The take
With the austere ethos of Dogme 95, most Dogme films tend to be naturalistic, serious dramas, dealing with heavy topics. Italian for Beginners is a Dogme film, but it’s one of the only lighthearted comedies considered to be one. It makes for a more casual, realistic approach to the romantic comedy, as students in an Italian class naturally build up connections through a subtle, dry humor, and consistent attempts to understand each other, as one does in a language class. It’s understated and subtle, but director and writer Lone Scherfig manages to make Italian for Beginners seem all the more charming.
What stands out
Mild spoilers: I’m actually surprised at the number of deaths here, yet somehow the film still manages to be lighthearted.
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