Italian for Beginners (2000)
Directed by Lone Scherfig
Genres - Comedy, Romance, Drama |
Sub-Genres - Ensemble Film, Romantic Comedy |
Release Date - Jan 18, 2002 (USA - Limited) |
Run Time - 105 min. |
Countries - Denmark, Sweden |
MPAA Rating - R
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Synopsis by Jonathan Crow
The Dogma 95 movement has seen some searing looks into the human condition but rarely a romantic comedy -- until now. Veteran Danish filmmaker Lone Scherfig spins this deadpan look at a group of lovelorn outsiders living in a grey corner of Copenhagen. After the perennially foul-tempered minister of a local church is fired after doing great injury to the organist, Andreas moves to the area to take over the parish. Staying in a hotel until his predecessor can be wrested from the rectory, Andreas befriends the establishment's scatter-brained manager, Jørgen, who is utterly in love with a beautiful Italian barmaid working at a nearby pub run by Hal-Finn. When the irascible Hal-Finn is chastised by the bar's owner for his unkempt appearance, he goes to a local salon where he meets Karen, a comely hairdresser harried by her grasping mom. Meanwhile, Andreas falls for a lethally klutzy pastry shop assistant named Olympia. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival.
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Keywords
barmaid, hairdresser, love, minister, mother, parish