Film No. 71 (2015) What a Beautiful Surprise. 5th October.

Film No. 71 (2015) October 5th.  6.30 PM LUNA Paradiso, Northbridge. 

"On first impressions she's the perfect woman ..... but does the perfect woman truly exist?" (a promotional caption for the film's English audience).

No wonder Hollywood is so keen to extract the core of an oddball French or Italian comedy then transpose it into a blockbuster of meteoric proportions. They don't have to create a new idea. The Europeans have done it for them. But rarely is it done as well, especially in this digital age where small cameras capture sharp images for a fraction of the price of a blockbuster project. Ma Cha Bella Sorpresa is all its title suggests, it is a wonderful surprise.


So what new is presented by Sorpresa? The idea is not new, the twist on Guido and how he deals with his mid-life crisis however is unique. The method film maker and writer Alessandro Genovesi uses to take us on Guido's misguided adventure is clever and well paced. 


Guido (Claudio Bisio) is a good man. Too good it would seem. His teaching techniques are off beat but his students love him. How romantic he is, is legendary. So he is deeply shocked to learn his live in girlfriend is leaving him for another man and a Belgian at that. Guido retreats into a world of his own, oblivious to the beautiful widow next door who has her eye on him and  who may be just the perfect fit. The issue is, another beautiful girl next door has literally walked into his apartment and his life and she may just be too good to be true.


It's the off beat characters integral to Guido's life that colour this hilarious film. His school buddy, a knock about Physical Education teacher adds humour to the plot but it's his parents (Ornella Vanoni and Bruno Cockpit) who threaten to steal the show. Their contrasting methods of supporting their son brings the legitimate hilarity to Sorpresa. If you have enjoyed Napoli (Naples) in your travels and you are partial to a light, clever comedy then don't miss Ma Che Bella Sorpresa. Come to think of it, it doesn't even matter if you've never visited Napoli. 9GUMS.