Director : Franco di Chiera
Starring : Frank Lotito, Holly Valance, Carmelina Di Guglielmo
Running Time : 94 minutes
DVD Release Date : Out now
‘A comedy about life, love and lasagna.’
Rocco (Lotito) is a 35 year old Aussie man of Italian descent still living at home with his mother (Di Guglielmo). Although he is a successful Real Estate Agent and could well afford to live on his own, he stays at home. Mamma does everything for him. She cooks, cleans, makes his lunch…..she even makes sure his little red sports car is buffed to perfection. Then Rocco meets and falls for Kate (Valance) and she challenges him to live on his own to win her heart. And hilarity ensues…..right?
Ummmmm…..
The idea behind this movie is actually a great one. Australia is a multi-cultural society and many of us, especially those of a certain age, know these Mamma’s boys. It is quite a, dare I say it, foreign concept to a large segment of the Aussie population that a grown man would have no inclination to leave home. Of course, with the economy the way it is now, this attitude has altered slightly. But you stay at home between houses or jobs. Or to save for a house of your own. You don’t stay at home just because you can.
Early on in the movie, during an Italian style morning tea…. and by Italian style I mean loads and loads of food…..the movie touches on the relationship between what are colloquially and affectionately known as the skips and wogs. Despite what many would like to think, there does exist a very easy, funny and fun relationship and banter between the two. It’s an open minded acknowledgement of the differences between all our heritages with the Aussie humour proudly on display. I am not saying there is no racism in Australia but it’s just not always the case. Sadly this relationship is never capitalised on.
The movie trundles on from unfunny situation to even unfunnier situation. I was surprised as there are some pretty well-known actors in this movie. There are a few chuckles but these are mainly for the stereotypical characters we recognise from our own lives. If you are going to do stereotype and you want the laughs, you would benefit from some really big characters. Like the over the top Greek aunties in My Big Fat Greek Wedding who manipulate their chauvinistic husbands without messing up their hairs. Speaking of hairs, a big, dumb Effie style sister to contrast with the Mamma’s boy would have been hilarious!
This movie lacks the self-deprecating yet completely self-aware humour of The Wog Boy, where wogs were wogs, they were in your face and they were bloody proud of it.
I really wanted to like this movie. I really did. But it is just not funny. Has political correctness claimed another victim?
