Considering how COVID-19 has shaken Italy’s tourism industry, the upcoming film “Made in Italy” might be the solution. Following a father and son, as they repair an old house in Tuscany, this film looks to be full of beautiful shots of the Italian countryside.
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Described as a “heart-warming father-son story set in glorious Tuscany”, the movie stars Liam Neeson as bohemian London artist Robert. Following the death of his wife, Robert and his estranged son Jack, played by Micheál Richardson (Neeson’s real-life son from his marriage to the late Natasha Richardson), must work together to renovate their villa in Tuscany. As they begin to restore the villa, they must also repair the holes in their relationship (the whole thing sounds rather autobiographical).
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“Made in Italy” is the directorial debut of James D’Arcy, credited as both director and screenwriter. D’Arcy’s previous work has been as an actor, co-starring in the war film “Dunkirk,” as well as the TV series “Broadchurch” and “Agent Carter.”
While this is D’Arcy’s first time as director and screenwriter, the stakes do not seem too high. This appears to be a by-the-numbers family dramedy: a difficult project forces two estranged family members to work together, resulting in their inevitable bonding. It will be interesting to see if D’Arcy’s script and direction can bring something novel to this common formula, besides the beautiful shots of Tuscany.
The casting of Neeson and Richardson is both unusual and familiar. Neeson will be outside of his comfort zone in this warm, relationship-driven movie. Not often associated with family comedies, Neeson is known for action-thrillers like “Taken” or historical dramas like “Silence” and “Schindler’s List.”
However, Richardson as Neeson’s estranged son is something that audiences have seen before. Though Richardson has limited acting experience, his most recent role was in the 2019 action-thriller “Cold Pursuit,” where he once again played Liam Neeson’s estranged son. “Made in Italy” moves the father-son duo from a violent film set in snowy Denver to a heart-warming comedy set in sunny Italy – a switch in both climate and tone for Neeson and Richardson.
Though the film may not be overly original, it looks to be heartwarming and digestible. Either way, those shots of Italy look spectacular.
Check out the trailer for “Made In Italy,” released by IFC Films on August 7.