Mambo Italiano (2003)

(In theaters, September 2003) It’s easy to dismiss this film as just another in the “Canadian ethnic sitcom” category best-represented by My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but there’s a lot to like about Mambo Italiano, from its hip cinematic beginning to the unconventional ending. A leading contender for the title of “most innocuous gay-themed movie ever made”, Mambo Italiano leaves no comedic stone unturned at the intersection of Italian-Canadians, gay men, dysfunctional families and neurotic siblings. (Claudia Ferri steals every scene she’s in as a typical sister with problems) It’s all quite charming, even though the rhythm of the film’s first thirty minutes isn’t sustained and slowly steers in more dramatic territory. The third quarter of the film is markedly slower, but it picks up for a spirited finale. No, it’s no classic for the ages, but it’s more than able to hold its own against non-Quebec productions. There are plenty of good performances, plenty of good jokes and plenty of good fun. The language may be a touch too crude at times for this to be a film for the whole family, but it’s certainly charming enough to be of interest to a large public.