The production values and cast are all that set "Under the Tuscan Sun" apart from any number of like-minded movies that appear on the Lifetime cable network. This adaptation of Frances Mayes' largely autobiographical best-seller is so predictable, so familiar, so episodic that it seems to belong on the small screen.
Still, there's no denying the charms of its setting — romantic Tuscany — which has never looked so inviting.
And there's also no denying the charms Diane Lane, an actress who seems to be improving with age. And here, she gives a performance that is probably better than the film deserves.
Lane stars as Frances Mayes, who receives a huge shock when she discovers that her seemingly faithful husband has been cheating. And she's lost more than a husband in the divorce; she's lost her house.
Along the way, Frances seems to have also lost her will to live. So her best friend Patti (Sandra Oh) sends her on a tour to Italy. (And since Patti is a lesbian, the tour is gay-themed.)
However, to her surprise, Frances has a pretty good time. In fact, she buys a villa there, a
quaint fixer-upper, where she hopes to resume her writing career. And with a strong nudge from Patti, as well as British free-spirit Katherine (Lindsay Duncan), she begins to rebuild her life. She even seems on the verge of romance with the handsome Marcello (Raoul Bova).
Thanks to some distracting subplots, the film quickly gets bogged down. And at nearly two hours, it seems at least 20 minutes too long.
Still, director Audrey Wells does know when to let Lane handle a scene and when to let the scenery do the talking (kudos to cinematographer Geoffrey Simpson and his crew). And thanks to her, this rambling little wreck of a movie is at least watchable. There's also supporting actor Vincent Riotta, who impresses as a sympathetic realtor.
"Under the Tuscan Sun" is rated PG-13 for scattered use of strong profanity (including one usage of the so-called "R-rated" curse word), a scene of simulated sex, some sexual innuendo and brief, partial female nudity. Running time: 113 minutes.
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