Enrico Salimbeni Movies
- 2007
Matrimony threatens to upend a successful romance in this comedy from Italy. Leo (Fabio Troiano) and Nina (Violante Placido) are a thirty-something couple who are perfectly happy in their lives and relationship until a power failure hits their flat one evening, and during the course of a long conversation Leo proposes marriage without quite meaning it. Nina happily accepts, and suddenly their existence is turned upside down. While they originally agreed on a small, intimate wedding for a handful of family and friends, the more planning Nina and her friends do, the more the event turns into a massive production. Meanwhile, it doesn't take long for Leo to get cold feet as friends offer less-than-helpful advice, single women suddenly find him attractive, and his future in-laws reveal just how strange they can be. Will this couple ever make their way to the altar? Il Giorno + Bello (aka Any Reason Not To Marry?) was the first feature film from writer and director Massimo Capelli. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fabio Troiano, Violante Placido, (more)
- 1998
Popular Italian rock star Luciano Ligabue made his directorial debut with this Italian drama based on Fuori e dentro il borgo, his collection of autobiographical short stories about growing up in small-town Italy of the '70s. DJ Bruno (Lucian Federico) reflects on the past, a small circle of friends, and the hopes of their generation. At the group's core is Freccia (Stefano Accorsi), a heroin user until Marzia (Patrizia Piccinini) steps in to help him kick the habit. As expected, Iena (Alessio Modica) marries and settles down, while unhappy Boris (Roberto Zibetti) is a victim of his own cynicism, and Tito (Enrico Salimbeni) is driven to violence by his dysfunctional family. An older bartender (singer-songwriter Francesco Guccini) listens to the group's woes and dreams. Along with a guitar score and a closing-credits song by Ligabue, tunes of the time include ones by Iggy Pop, Roxy Music, and David Bowie. Shown at the 1998 Venice Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stefano Accorsi, Luciano Federico, (more)
- 1996
The English title of this complex Italian film is apt. Featuring 65 main characters and 130 speaking parts (famous faces abound and many of the actors appeared gratis), and ranging in tone from tartly humorous to darkly tragic, it presents 30 interwoven slices from the lives of modern day Romans during a single day. The lone, silent figure of a lone jogger provides a sort of continuity between the vignettes. Beginning at sunset of the previous day, the jogger is seen warming up on his apartment terrace, looking for all the world as if he would like to jump. The rest of the stories seem to be randomly presented. Stories include the robbery of a Chinese restaurant that causes a birthday celebrant to die of fright, two different newlyweds who find themselves attracted to each other, an opportunistic mechanic's plan to capitalize on the death of a rival, a sneaky, sadistic meter maid and others. One uniting feature of the stories is their underlying bitter assessment of modern humanity. People are seen as selfish and basically cruel, still the stories move quickly and the balance between humor and drama, affection and cynicism, and shallowness and complexity is carefully maintained. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Four hard-working, under-appreciated waiters must deal with the rude, demanding middle-class at a wedding anniversary in this Italian comedy. The story is set at Eden, a run-down restaurant that has just been bought by Azzaro. The restaurant staff do not know whether or not they will still have jobs. The new owner brings his family, friends, and some cheesy musicians to celebrate his parent's 50th wedding anniversary. These nouveau riche, who outwardly seem so refined, quickly reveal their true nature once the party gets started. The new boss is a boor, and his father an adulterer, whose wife is severely depressed and becomes increasingly morose. The four waiters have their own problems. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
