Mafia Mamma

This comedy-action film is a middle-aged woman’s story of reinvention and coming into her own. It relies heavily on stereotypes, but it’s fun way to spend an hour and a half.

‍

The movie, which is based on a real-life story, is a vehicle for Toni Collette, who is great in it. Her character’s life in America is falling apart at just the right moment for it to re-coagulate in Italy.

‍

I like Toni Collette. She has great range. She gives depth and dynamism to what could have been a very narrowly-played character.

‍

Ms Collette is Australian in real life, but she plays an American so well that I laughed out loud many times. I could see myself in her talkative, honest, transparent way of being and in her naivety about how bad people operate.

‍

Monica Bellucci was a wonderful surprise. She gave the movie Italian authenticity, but so did all of the other Italian actors. They, too, were stereotypes but perfectly crafted ones.

‍

The movie was filmed in Rome, so even the scenery is perfectly stereotyped.

‍

Fun! I liked this.