neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Mambo Italiano
	Émile Gaudreault Luke Kirby, Paul Sorvino, Ginette Reno, Mary Walsh, Claudia Ferri, Peter Miller, Sophie Lorain, Tim Post, Pierrette Robitaille 2003		Embarrassing, worn-out stereotypes are the most glaring problem in "Mambo Italiano," directed and co-written by Émile Gaudreault from a play by Steve Galluccio. Meant as a romantic comedy, it wants you to care about Angelo Barberini (Luke Kirby), a nice boy from a Canadian-Italian family, and his search for love and happiness. Angelo, who happens to be gay, falls in love with hunky policeman Nino (Peter Miller), his childhood buddy, who also happens to be gay. They move in together. Although Nino wants to stay closeted, Angelo decides to come out to his tradition-bound parents. Angelo's loud-mouthed sister Anna (Claudia Ferri) is on his side, but Papa and Mama, over-played by Paul Sorvino and Ginette Reno, go ballistic. Even old pro Sorvino can't rise above the sub-sitcom silliness; the character actor's turn as the beleaguered patriarch of the Barberini family places him firmly in the category of caricature actor. "Mambo Italiano" may be a well-meaning effort to promote tolerance and understanding of gay lifestyles, but it's as broadly drawn and heavy-handed as a small-town community theater production. Even worse, it manages to offend two groups — gays and Italians — at once.