TUTTI CONTRO TUTTI directed by Rolando Ravello (Italy, 2013)
When it comes to enjoying films in a second language, comedy is the most challenging genre of all.
So much of humour is culturally bound that appreciating it is not just about linguistic ability. It is also often necessary to pick up on references to local customs, national celebrities and regional dialects.
The last of these was my big stumbling block with this movie. I was reassured when one Italian woman remarked during the interval that some of the Roman lingo was hard to catch.
The deadpan quips from the character of grandfather always raised a laugh but I only understood about a quarter of them.
The film has elements of Ken Loach in the way it seeks to see the funny side of serious social problems; in this case unemployment, homelessness and immigration.
With the current economic crisis, tensions usually get directed at minority groups so it’s nice to see a film that tackles these subjects with a lightness of touch without belittling the issues. Continue reading
