Susan Granger’s review of “Under the Tuscan Sun” (Touchstone Pictures)
If you read Frances Mayes’ memoir, “Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy,” you’ll find that the screen adaptation by director/writer Audrey Wells is quite different, except in setting. The heroine has become a lonely divorcee, resulting in an unexpectedly added depth to the story. Diane Lane (“Unfaithful”) plays Frances, the San Francisco book critic who has just endured an devastating divorce. Her pregnant friend (Sandra Oh) gives her a ticket to Italy, hoping that the trip will lift her spirits. While visiting a bucolic town, she sees a lovely villa listed for sale. When the tour bus makes an unscheduled stop directly in front of the 300 year-old manor home, called Bramasole, meaning “yearns for the sun,” she impulsively grabs her suitcase and ventures inside. A German couple is haggling price with the realtor (Vincent Riotta), but when a pigeon poops on Frances, it’s a “signale de Deo.” Bramasole is hers – and her transformational adventure begins. First, she hires a contractor with three Polish workers to do the repairs and renovations. Then she’s befriended by a delusional Brit expatriate (Lindsay Duncan) and courted by manly Marcello (Raoul Bova) from Positano, who vows, “I am going to make love all over you.” At its core, this is a true romance, revolving around a heartbroken woman who transplants herself into a foreign culture in order to start life anew. She rises to the challenge and discovers her own resiliency. Filmed in Cortona, Positano, Rome and Florence, Geoffrey Simpson’s photography is evocative and beautiful. And above all, the film is a tribute to love, laughter and friendship. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Under the Tuscan Sun” is a surprisingly satisfying 9, recommended for anyone who’s ever wondered if there really are second chances.
