Film No. 62 (2020) October 11th. 4:00 PM. Cinema 1 LUNA Leederville.
"Gentlemen, what's better than a nice vacation all together?".(The local poliziotto endeavours to make his life easier by proposing a solution to the triple booking fiasco).
I Hate Summer is 130 minutes short ... I say short because you could have knocked me over with a feather when I realized how time had elapsed without even the minutest thought of sneaking a peek at my watch. Odio L'Estate is the epitome of a good time at the cinema.
There is nothing new about the premise of a number of families (in this case, three)converging on the one holiday bungalow due to a booking stuff-up.
Three of Italy's leading comics Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo play the father/husbands of the families. All experience varying degrees of life stress from their families and each other. There is also much to be learned about one another. What begins as a major glitch in their holiday plans, turns into a summer break to remember.
The magic of I Hate Summer lies in the casting, right down to Brian, the loveable Labrador. I get it that the three comedians sell the film without question in Italy, but for me the wives Carmen (Maria Di Biase), Paola (Carlotta Natoli) and Barbara (Lucia Mascino) are equally as amusing, particularly Di Biase as the warm, playful Carmen who keeps Aldo in perfect check.
The French and the Italians have mastered this offbeat comedy style like no other film-makers. They take the simple, mix it with talent, then place it in light and wonderfully relaxed settings. Director Venier has a touch of Tati. There are a couple of belly laughs here. But more importantly Odio L'Estate is full of thoughtful, pleasant moments. And let me tell you, a two hour film which seems way shorter takes skilful execution. Bravo! 9GUMS.
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