Photo via IMDb
By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
It stands to reason that one of the worst acting performances of the year, corny dialogue, and zero romantic chemistry would make this new rom-com unwatchable, but there’s just enough passable entertainment to be somewhat satisfying. “You, Me & Tuscany” is the type of Hallmark fantasy romance that can be cute and wholesome with the breathtaking Italian countryside as the backdrop. The story is also quite derivative, layered in cliches that fail to separate it from the countless others in the genre it models after.
More content with pretending to live other people’s lives rather than her own, Anna (Halle Bailey) crosses paths with Matteo (Lorenzo de Moor), who just so happens to have an empty villa in Tuscany, Italy. Posing as his fiancée, she makes herself at home in the beautiful villa, ingratiating herself with his entire family, especially his brother Michael (Regé-Jean Page). As an unexpected connection develops, Anna begins to worry that her lies will be exposed and the truth will ruin everything.
Director Kat Coiro serves up a hefty amount of cheese to go along with the copious amount of wine depicted throughout the film. Everything from the dialogue to the setups to the formula is entirely predictable and ordinary. Even the movements and reactions of the players are shown in a flamboyant manner that the film feels more like a stage production than a motion picture. In fact, she choreographs it almost like a musical, just without the music. This makes the production more of a fantasy than an authentic romance. However, this approach seems to work as viewers can’t help but find themselves whisked away on this romantic journey, and Kat accentuates that vibe with the gorgeous Italian scenery in the background along with mouthwatering Italian cuisine. Relying heavily on natural lighting, the sun-soaked Tuscan landscapes make for the perfect romantic setting.
There is a consistent tone of joy Kat commits to that is reminiscent of early 2000s rom-coms. Unfortunately, that joy feels more manufactured and disingenuous as she relies on commonly used genre tropes. Even the humor is cheesy and artificial, relying on Italian stereotypes to deliver most of the punchlines. Yes, Kat executes the tried-and-true formula well, successfully encouraging an emotional connection to the various characters, but her play-it-safe approach offers nothing new that hasn’t already been done ad nauseam, ultimately making the film whimsical, yet forgettable.
This might have been a better movie if not for Halle Bailey, who provides one of the worst performances by an actress all year. It’s as if she has not shed her Disney princess persona from the 2023 live action remake of “The Little Mermaid.” Her constant smiling and cutesy line delivery is nauseating and contrived, conjuring images of the animated Snow White attracting all sorts of birds and animals to the sound of her voice. She could not even muster a shred of realistic romantic chemistry with her co-star with her airy, purposeless portrayal. After these past couple of feature film roles, it has become very clear that acting is not her bag.
Despite the lack of chemistry, the heartthrob star of “Bridgerton” leaves audiences swooning, especially when he starts speaking Italian. Regé-Jean Page is more than a pretty face, though, as he demonstrates strong screen presence and charismatic confidence in his line delivery that makes his character instantly likable. It is these kinds of qualities that make him a viable leading man, maybe even enough to be the next James Bond.
“You, Me & Tuscany” is almost identical to “The House Sitter” from 1992, featuring Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin, except the characters and setting are different. For those hopeless romantics who enjoy the Hallmark style, fantasy romances, you will likely enjoy this movie despite its predictability. For all others, this film will grate on your last nerve with the amount of cheesiness and lack of believable romance. If you want to watch a better rom-com set in Italy, then check out “Solo Mio” which released earlier this year and is far superior in every way.
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