IT'S A DELIGHTFUL CASE OF MISTAKED IDENTITY WHEN TWONON-ITALIAN SINGLES EACH PRETEND TO BE ITALIAN TO WIN EACHOTHER'S HEARTS IN THIS DELICIOUSLY SACY ROMANTIC COMEDY.
Sharon F. (Shar) from AVON PARK, FL Reviewed on 2/8/2023...
This is a very cute, very ethnic movie about two people who pretend to be Italian. Lots of stereotyping in this so if you are easily offended, don't watch this one.
3 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
Everybody wants to be italian
Bill Biancacci | 02/06/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"if you liked my big fat greek wedding then this romantic comedy is for you
a very good story and a very well rounded cast cerina vincent is so hott like
the italian girl you always wanted to meet a great movie 5 out of 5 *****
stars in a traditional italian love story.
billy day.
CIAO!"
If I were Italian, I'd be offended.
Snow White | Orange County | 03/23/2009
(1 out of 5 stars)
"The 2007 answer to 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' seems to have come in the shoddy package of 'Everybody Wants to Be Italian', a long and painful 'romantic comedy'.(Just saying that feels like I'm lying in it's favor) Really, there's nothing funny about it, or in that case romantic either.
Jake Bianski, played by Jay Jablonski(so creative with the character naming) is an entirely unlikeable bozo, who runs a fish market with the help of all his much older(but still just as idiotic) Italian friends.
Jake is under the strange illusion that he's still involved with his ex-girlfriend Isabella(Marisa Petroro) although she's married with three children, and completely uninterested. Jake becomes an all out fool every year on their old anniversary, parading around the city purchasing a new suit, ring, flowers(apparently he couldn't splurge for the brain instead) and attempts to woo his soul mate once more.
Then along comes Marisa(Cerina Vincent) a beautiful veterinarian, whom Jake's Tweedledee & Tweedledum-esque friends Steve(John Kapelos) and Gianluca(John Enos III) find and persuade into meeting their single(they forgot to mention psychotic) friend.
Somehow Jake and Marisa begin to nurture a friendship, though Jake insists he still has a girlfriend, therefore they cannot be more.
Of course Jake eventually finds out he really does love Marisa and follows her to the ends of the earth(or in this case, just Italy) to involve her in his schizophrenic mind, and propose to her.(Forget trying a relationship, you bag-o-crazy)
The film drags along, so very slowly and all you do is wait and pray for some sort of redemption that never comes.
If I didn't already, I'm sure I don't want to be Italian now.
"
Great Movie
Patricus Rex | PA USA | 04/12/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you are looking for a funny and romantic movie...this is your choice. With a little bit of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" theme in the "culture" department. You will enjoy this film from begining to the end."
Do not miss this movie
B. Francois | 03/14/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am so glad that I found this movie. It is very cleverly written romantic comedy that had me laughing for two hours. This is as good of a movie as I have seen in a long time. Highly recommended to anyone who watches movies."
A romantic comedy I actually disliked - that's a first!
Penumbra | Atlanta, GA USA | 07/20/2009
(2 out of 5 stars)
""Everybody Wants to be Italian" is to romantic comedy what "The Producers" intended "Springtime for Hitler" to be to musicals but in a more earnest and unfunny way, and without the catchy tunes. The fatal flaw in this movie is that the writers apparently thought the comedy would come from making the leading man into an unlikeable, obnoxious, borderline psycho creep. (Note to writers: in a romantic comedy it is not a good thing when the audience is rooting for the leading lady to dump the hero.)
Jake Bianski (Jay Jablonski), is a Polish guy who owns a fish monger shop in a very Italian neighborhood. He refuses to believe that his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Isabella, is really over. At every opportunity he stalks and harasses her trying to convince her to get back together. It's not going to happen. Isabella married someone else eight years ago and they now have three small children. Although the oldest child was born more than a year after the break up, Jake often (loudly and publicly proclaims himself the boy's father. To make matters worse, the reason for the break up was that Jake slept with Isabella's best friend...and her sister...in her parents' bed. (Note to writers: In the Romantic Comedy (AKA: Chick Flick) genre, it's better when the chicks in the audience aren't considering the hero and saying, "eeeewwwww.")
When Jake's very concerned friends and co-workers meet Marissa Costa (Cerina Vincent), a girl looking for a stray cat in an alley, they convince her to go to a neighborhood dance to meet their "available" buddy. Since they assume Marrissa is Italian, they tell Jake he must pretend to be Italian or she won't be interested in him. They introduce him as Jake Bianci and hope nature take its course. Marrisa, who is from a Spanish family, is also pretending to be Italian, hence the title.
After this really rocky set up, I wish I could tell you it gets better. But, at its best, this movie is... meh.
The residents of the mostly Italian neighborhood are sweet, funny, and endearing as they offer advice to the young couple. The three guys who work in the fish shop are delightful. Steve Bottino (John Kapelos) is working while studying for his PhD in Psychology. Gianluca Tempesti (John Enos III) is a tough guy who is studying English literature at night. Papa Aldo Tempesti (Richard Libertini) is the elderly father who has some great observations and a dead pan delivery.
Two stars for the charming Miss Vincent, the supporting cast and the very nice location shots around Boston. (Note to readers: I'm being generous here.)"