Rating: 
Summary: Does Not Look or Move Like Film Should
Review: Hubby and I did not make it all the way through this film. We just hated the way it looked and the pace it moved at from frame #1. We packed it in early on and were glad we only rented it. It looks as if it were shot by someone first using a home video camera the day after unpacking it from the underneath the Christmas tree. It looks nothing like its beautiful cover on the box. I am thus in shock that this film just scored slot #7 on "Time" Magazine's Top 10 Films of 2002. Amazon customer/reviewer Tom Reynolds made it all the way through, hating every frame, and likened it to watching paint dry. I urge you to read Tom's blow by blow review, especially if you are really thinking about buying it. I almost did buy it at Borders shortly before Christmas as a gift to myself but divine intervention must have stayed my hand.
Rating: 
Summary: Feels a little naive, but has lots of depth and charm
Review: I admit that the handheld video camera work put me off at first, as did the abrupt cuts. It felt like a student project or an experiment. But as I watched, all of that faded into the background, and the quiet charm took over. It's a very rough film in many ways - not polished at all - but it's also very honest and touching, and it makes a nice change of pace from so many typical American movies which are more sparkle and yet still very shallow.
Rating:
Summary: Be warned: I got my money back!
Review: I don't care what the rules for Dogme95 are: I thought this movie [stunk]. The fact that it is shot using only a hand-held camera means nothing to me. What it does mean is this: The movie has the look and feel of a final project for a college level drama course. I don't understand what critics and viewers see in this movie. I honestly can't believe this film found it's way into even limited release.
Maybe this type of filmmaking appeals to some people. I don't know; I fast forwarded through 90% of the movie in complete disbelief. My friends and I got a good laugh out of it...But I asked for my money back when I returned it to the video store. This movie is definately not for everyone.
Rating:
Summary: Good movie to see
Review: I enjoyed this movie -- after I got past the camera shots, as noted by other reviewers. Like another person, I almost quit the movie before 30 minutes were up. It seemed slow to start. But, I'm glad I stayed with it because it developed into a nice story. The characters were real and the plot (though slow to develop) was good. I would recommend this movie.
Rating: 
Summary: response to Peter Lorenzi
Review: I like "Hollywood movies" just as much as the next person, I like the fact that the good guy always wins, and that romantic comedies are full of just that...romance and comedy. But as a movie lover, I enjoy and love foreign film. For the most part, foreign films seperate from the fantasy world Hollywood lives in, and portray life more like real life. Italian for beginners is a wonderful movie, a little weird as to the way it's filmed, but very good. I rented this movie and now own a copy; I recommend you do the same.
Rating:
Summary: response to Peter Lorenzi
Review: I like "Hollywood movies" just as much as the next person, I like the fact that the good guy always wins, and that romantic comedies are full of just that...romance and comedy. But as a movie lover, I enjoy and love foreign film. For the most part, foreign films seperate from the fantasy world Hollywood lives in, and portray life more like real life. Italian for beginners is a wonderful movie, a little weird as to the way it's filmed, but very good. I rented this movie and now own a copy; I recommend you do the same.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible
Review: I often rent foreign films or purchase them on amazon. Thankfully I rented this one so as not to be stuck with it. The movie description on the back of the dvd seemed interesting so I chose to bring it home. After getting dizzy from the hand-held camera I maintained composure and tried watching. The acting was sub-par and I had no real interest in the characters. I made it a half hour into the movie before I went back and returned it to the video store and upon handing it back said, "never recommend this movie to anyone. ever."
Rating: 
Summary: Beware Misleading Trailer
Review: I saw the coming attractions for "Italian for Beginners" several times before I headed off to see it with my friend Sheryl at the Angelika here in NYC. I was led to believe from that trailer that this was a light-hearted comedy. NOT! It's really quite depressing in most spots, about how six fairly unhappy people eventually wind up in the same Italian class, and then finally jaunt over to Italy to put it all into practice. While the movie did have some comedic elements--the dictatorial Italian substitute teacher, for instance--I'm afraid I was a little too brought down by the parental deaths and such happening here. I guess Danish movies might be a bit off for a beginner like me.
Rating:
Summary: Wisful, Loving Movie
Review: I watched the DVD last night and absolutely loved the simplicity with which it was shot, the character development, seeing a small slice of Danish culture.. It was real and thoughtful. As I watched, I found myself comparing differences in the way Americans and Danes have casual conversations, though also one of the things I enjoyed was how very meaningful conversations could happen just as simply, but without losing any depth. I liked every single character, each of whom was so different. There is also subtle humor that creeps up on you, but doesn't distract you from what follows those moments. It is a lovely little movie and I would recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Romance ala Dogme;Overlong Plot Saved by Charming Characters
Review: In spite of the title, "Italian for Beginners" features few Italian scenes, for it is set in a small town in Denmark, where men and women (all thirty-odd-year-old) fall in love through the language course. The film is the 12th installment of Dogme 95 (its predecessors include "King Is Alive" or "Mifune"), but unlike the usual films coming out of the tradition, "Italian Beginners" is a heart-warming romantic comedy, or at least, it wants to be that. The ensemble characters are all timid or have some trouble with communication (perhaps making a contrast to Italian people). They include; an angry manager of a small diner (who had once a promising career as football player), and his good-natured friend; a hairdresser whose alcoholic mother always stumbles into her shop in the awkward moment; a Catholic priest who is sent to the town for a thankless position; a female working at bakery store who had to change jobs more than 30 times; and a beautiful Italian waitress who fell for one of them. Even though you like the film's life-affirming attitudes, you must admit that the story itself is nothing but an ordinary melodrama, which in itself is not a big problem. I am not sure this film works as comedy in your country (I didn't find it as amusing as some people say), but it defenitely works as an intensely emotional drama. The film has its strong moments (such as ill-treated daughter(s) confronting their parents), because the capable actors succeeded to infuse a lot of energy to the well-written, but slightly cliched characters. I didn't give the film four stars because of the followinf two reasons: one, it lacks charms that should have, the kind of charms which the dogmatic stance of Dogme 95 destroyed. Dogme basically forbids to use soundtrack songs, or lighting (except one attached to camera), both of which are (few people notice this) the essential part of the romanctic mood. The actors' fine acting cannot save it totally. The other defect comes from the film's script. I don't know about Lone Sherfig (writer and director of the film), but it is clear that her roots lie in TV dramas, in which she can let the drama sprawl more freely. The film runs 112 minutes, but with this thin material, the whole film is often repetitive, longer than it should be by 15 minutes. But all in all "Italian for Beginners" is a good film, by "good" I mean "warm" "engaging" and "charming." But I still do not understand why Ms. Sherfig, with these able cast at hand, decided to use the Dogme format, which does not help the film at all.
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