In the past few years, especially during the pandemic, I got to watch some 300 Italian comedies from the past two decades, mostly thanks to Rai 1, 2 and 3. Almost all of these films are mediocre, good as light passtime, not bad enough to stop watching, nor good enough to suggest. The production quality randomly tilts towards something original, and you get adapted to the talent pool of around 100-120 actors that carry this broad line of Italian film industry.
Well, if it works that way, it works that way.
However, as I watch stuff like "La mia famiglia a soqquadro", I cannot help but ask myself: Why aren't they trying harder with such original ideas?
The premise of this one is quite interesting, indeed. Has almost the same potential as "Parent Trap" with Lindsay Lohan as the child star. Yes, there is some strangely original vibe with the point of view, with the way the story is laid out. And the casting look quite fine. The boy's family is naturally convincing, in sync with their particular malfunctions.
Most aspects of this film are oddly well managed, indeed.
But still, something lacks. Gives the feeling that it was produced as a fill-in or something. As if the creativity behind it had to be butchered down to make it look dumb enough to please the "mainstream viewer".
That, I don't get. Both visually and with respect to the dialogues, this particular film could have been worked to perfection and shot in a more excquisite way, without adding a dime to the budget.
Push it forward a bit, and you can get "The Royal Tennenbaums". Push it in a different direction, and you can get "The School of Rock".
But the way it is, it looks like the picture was intentionally laid back as no one even considered it could reach an audience beyond TV-bound Italian families.
John G. Avildsen shot Rocky in a few weeks with a modest budget. The core idea was so strong that, when approached with respect, it sufficed to do the job.
And the basic premise of this random comedy could have been developed into something much, much better, something way more fun and way more powerful.
But somehow, the gods of Italian show biz seem not to be interested in forcing things.
