“Under The Tuscan Sun” (Touchstone Pictures)
“Under the Tuscan Sun” is a movie based loosely on the book of the same name by Frances Mayes. The film tells the story of a divorced woman moving to Tuscany and finding a life there. Diane Lane is the star and she gives the film a lot of spark. That and the beauty of the Tuscan countryside are the main draws.
In the film Frances (Lane) gets involved in a messy divorce which leaves her without a home, and a distrust of men. One day her friends give her a ticket for ten-day tour of Tuscany (great friends!). While on tour she sees an old home in the country which, on a whim, she buys. How she gets this kind of money is never explained.
Later she meets a man named Marcello (Raoul Bova) and takes a chance on love again. Her best friend Patti (Sandra Oh) also comes to visit and help her adjust to her new life. Plus she meets a fascinatingly eccentric woman named Katherine (Lindsay Duncan) who teaches her how to hold on to her inner child.
All of this takes place in a flow of time that highlights the beauty of the countryside. You never think of Frances being homesick for friends or family back in the States. She just has all these wonderful Italian friends to help her move on with her life.
Lane is very good as Frances but she looks world-weary from start to finish. This highlights the age differences between Frances and the men with whom she becomes involved. The only man who seems right for her in the movie is her married realtor, Mr. Martini (Vincent Riotta).
The story is simple and full of Oprah-esque moments. Not only do you get the “keep the inner child” message, you also get the “be careful what you wish for” moral. It is all in keeping with the do it yourself theme of the movie.
The film is rated PG-13 for profanity and sexual situations.
You can get some enjoyment out of “Under the Tuscan Sun” but it isn’t as good as you hoped it would be. Diane Lane makes a valiant effort but she can’t hold the film together. It just melts under the warm Tuscan sun.
I scored “Under the Tuscan Sun” a tanned 5 out of 10.
