Rating: 
Summary: The Prisoner of Little Italy
Review: "Mambo Italiano" has some cogent things to say about Gay relationships, and closeted Gay men and their families but it is difficult to ferret them out what with all the gobble d gook, whatsa mattah widchu and mamma mia dialogue and action on the screen.
As an obvious play for the same audience that went to see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," "Mambo Italiano" fails in comparison because it lacks the sparkle, the pacing and the resolve of its own convictions. "MBFGW" is not the finest movie ever made but it is well made, well scripted and for the most part, well acted. Unfortunately, "Mambo Italiano" is none of these things.
But there are two scenes in which all the wedding cake frosting and Italian Neighborhood Restaurant decor is cut away and Angelo (Luke Kirby), gay and out, cries out in pain and anguish over a life spent hiding who he is. "Before my parents die, I wanted them to know who I really am,' he says. Gay or not, how many kids need to have this conversation with their parents right now?
Rating: 
Summary: Sweet, sad, funny and over the top!
Review: "Mambo Italiano" is a sweet movie about an Italian family having to deal with their gay son as he comes out to them. It's also a sad movie about a mother that cannot deal with her son's homosexuality and a son that denies his passion for men in order to please society. It's also a funny movie that plays on all the stereotypes of gays and Italians (yes, unfortunately stereotypes do draw laughs.)The thing I like about this film is the fact that not everybody gets a happy ending. Two gay men and their respective families end up in two different paths. One is the path of honesty, honor, pride and love while the other is the path of shame, guilt, pretense and hypocrisy. Such are the two main paths in life and I am glad they were pronounced in the film. The thing that bothered me was that the movie tried hard to be Italian! Over-the-top performances by the parents were at times embarrassing to even watch on the screen. The most powerful scene in this film, in my opinion, is the scene where Angelo confronts his parents and the mother of his lover, Nino, about their denial and selfishness in trying to prevent him from living his life. This is a scene that will resonate with all of us, gay or straight. I recommend that you see it with a loved one so you can share the laughs, the tears and the love.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Entertaining
Review: A movie about two Italian families with (gasp) gay sons, which as I understand it from the movie is not a good thing if you're Italian. But as the movie goes on Maria and Gino begin to accept Angelo as being gay and are actually quite proud of him. I quite enjoyed this CANADIAN made movie, in which most of the stars are Canadian. I would recommend this movie for anyone who needs to laugh, and as you can see from other peoples reviews you don't have to be Canadian or Italian to enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: A Movie with a Heart
Review: Angelo Barberini has always been different. He enjoyed singing and dancing with his eccentric aunt more than sports, and was obsessed with TV shows like Dynasty, copying down every word of dialogue. He's best friends with Nino, a popular jock at school, but when the other kids start to pick on Angelo and call him a fag, Nino stops hanging out with him in public. Flash forward fifteen years. Not much has changed. Angelo is trapped in a dead-end job while he secretly longs to be a television writer. He still lives at home with his overprotective, traditional Italian family, where you're expected to stay home until you get married. The only problem is, Angelo is a closeted gay man and he doesn't want to get married. He shocks his parents by moving out into an apartment of his own. That's when fate steps in. His apartment is vandalized and who should be the responding officer but Angelo's childhood friend Nino? They renew their friendship and it turns out that Nino is closeted as well. The two men embark on a secret romance, but soon Angelo finds himself longing to come out. Nino adamantly refuses to come out for fear of his job and interfering mother. When Angelo finally comes out to his family all hell breaks loose. His strict Catholic parents can't accept it and stop speaking to him, his sister is driven into counseling to deal with their dysfunctional family, and Nino can't handle the pressure. Can Angelo and Nino make their relationship work? Will Angelo's parents ever accept him? Can they all find happiness? This movie is a little like a gay Italian version of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It plays on broad cultural stereotypes for laughs, but it does have a heart. The beginning of the movie feels a little sitcom-like, but it definitely improves as it goes on. The story tackles the difficult and serious issues of coming out to your family and dealing with a lover who prefers to stay closeted with a surprising sensitivity and realism. Mambo Italiano certainly has its flaws, but I thought it more than overcame them by the end. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: It's just funny
Review: as a person who just seen my big fat greek wedding recently I say that this movie while throwing in the my crazy italian family joke is in it's own right just a good and funny movie
Rating:
Summary: Mambo No. 1
Review: Gay Italians coming out of the closet? Dysfunctional Italian families? Sound all too familiar? Well, what surprised me the most about Mambo Italiano was its uniqueness and originality. Granted, there is nothing new under the sun, but Mambo combines elements of Maurice (gay men trapped by social convention), Moonstruck (Italians in love), and even The Way We Were (unrequited love) in a manner that is fresh and fun. Billed as a comedy (and funny, indeed), Mambo never forgets its fundamental and powerful messages: the importance of family, of being oneself, and of fighting social convention. Angelo, our lovable lead, grew up in a stereotypical Italian family. At school, he is taunted for being a "fag" and even abandoned by his best friend Nino. At that point, his only joy in life is his Aunt Yolanda. Years later, he becomes a travel agent and does what no single Italian does: move out of his parents' home. By chance Nino, now a hunky policeman, re-enters his life. Nino moves in with Angelo and they become lovers. The conflict begins because Angelo does not want to stay in the closet and live a lie. Nino prefers the closet. Angelo tells his parents what is going on and all hell breaks loose. In comedies, I always expect the happy ending. But Mambo instead follows the path of Maurice and The Way We Were. In The Way We Were, we know Streisand is madly in love with Redford, but we're never quite sure if Redford feels the same way for Streisand. The same is true of Angelo and Nino. Angelo is head over heels over Nino, but we're never quite sure how Nino feels for Angelo. Remember the final encounter between Redford and the teary-eyed Streisand? I did when I saw the final scene between Nino and Angelo. In short, I recommend this movie. Well-acted, funny, moving, and realistic, it is a worthy addition to any DVD collection (not just the gay man's).
Rating:
Summary: Mambo Italiano tickled my funny bone
Review: I am a closeted Asian case. I just watched Mambo Italiano and found the movie to be very funny and charming (although there were some Italian stereotypes that seemed bizzarre to me). Everyone involved in this movie must have had a joyous time on the set because the chemistry between them seemed genuine. The lead actors and the supporting cast played their roles wonderfully. I particularly respected the performances of the actors who played the parents of the main character. I wholeheartedly recommend this movie to those who like light comedies and are not too critical of exaggerated stereotypes.
Rating:
Summary: Very funny and very real...
Review: I bought this movie on a whim - having never heard of it beforehand. I watched it last night and was not disappointed at all in my decision to buy. The movie is really hysterical in portraying a immigrant Italian family in Montreal. The characters were believable, charming, and comical in their day-to-day life. Angelo's family were the catalyst for many laughs. The neurotic sister was hysterical as she tries to sustain herself as the buffer between Angelo and his parents. Her pill-popping and frequent visits to new therapists had me laughing till the very end of the movie. One of the things I really liked about this movie was that while it characterized the struggles of coming out of the closet, it didn't weigh it down with stereotypical queens, AIDS victims, and other assorted misfits.
Rating:
Summary: Sometimes your heart breaks
Review: I found this movie very true to life and in some ways close to my heart, for I too lost the love of my life not to a woman but another man.
It is a refreshing look at gay life in todays world. Not the "Queer as Folk" lifestyle but in an ethinic community found in larger cities. The acting is very good and I could feel the pain and how life is come through. I would recomend this for anyone looking for a light romantic comedy-drama, on the same venu as " Broken Hearts Club". I enjoyed this out of the main stream movie.
Rating:
Summary: A gay romantic comedy
Review: I haven't laughed so much at a movie for so long until I watched Mambo Italiano. It is a comedy with a message on 'coming out'. Definitely, a movie to own that will brighten up your day.
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