You, Me & Tuscany

You, Me & Tuscany
Starring Halle Bailey, Rege-Jean Page, Lornzo de Moor, Mario Calvani
Directed by Kat Coiro

There was an episode of "American Dad!" where Roger the alien was put on trial under one of his personas for committing a crime, but it seemed he was going to get off because he was so charming to the jury - but Stan saw through it and forced the jury to convict him anyway. What's this have to do with "You, Me & Tuscany?" Two things: 1) I'd rather watch that episode again than see this again, and 2) it has a lot to do with the overall theme of this movie. Could you get away with telling a monumental lie simply due to the fact that you're just so darn cute and charming? Should one lie dictate your entire life? Will this movie revolutionize the tiresome rom-com? 

Anna (Halle Bailey) is a woman with no purpose - she works as a housesitter but gets fired because she impersonates the homeowners because she's been stuck in her life since her mother died and her only passion - cooking - died with her. She planned to visit Tuscany with her mother before she died, and one night she meets handsome Italian American Matteo (Lorenzo de Moor), and takes it as a sign to finally go to Italy, but when she gets there she can't find a place to stay, and remembers that Matteo mentioned a home he has there that's been untouched, so she decides to squat there.

The next morning she's discovered by Matteo's mother and grandmother, who think Anna is marrying Matteo because she found an engagement ring in a junk drawer. She continues the lie as she's introduced to Matteo's family, finally finding a place to belong - and falls for Matteo's brother Michael (Rege-Jean Page). However, when Matteo shows up unannounced, her lies could spiral out of control, unless Matteo uses those lies to his advantage as well.


The Good:
Halle Bailey had a rough go at the start of her career, playing the beloved Ariel in the live-action "The Little Mermaid," receiving backlash due to her being of African American descent in a role originated (animatedly) as a red-haired white woman. This is the first role I've seen her in since then, and she gives a great performance. She's charming, endearing, sweet, and still flawed, but also had a rough life that defined her current state in life. It's no wonder that Matteo's family would welcome her so easily, because she's someone that's easy to love. This movie could've faltered tremendously without a charming lead, and Halle Bailey delivers the laughs, emotion, and heart.

Likewise, "Bridgerton" star Rege-Jean Page also has charm to spare as Matteo's brother Michael who falls for Anna after a meet-cute at a local bread shop. He and Matteo have been at odds for years, so it's no surprise that Anna comes between the two, but Page is so easily charming it is very simple to fall for him.

We all know how this film will play out, so the path to get there is what makes things interesting. It's formulaic, but due to the performers it's still an entertaining watch even though you know every beat three chapters beforehand. It doesn't hurt that Tuscany is a beautiful backdrop to the story.


The Bad:
The story is a generic, stereotypical rom-com that makes for a flatline film. "The Drama" did this genre a lot better by offering a nuanced, thought-provoking story, while this one is something you find in a typical Hallmark movie.

The story, as mentioned earlier, is generic but also a bit strange. Anna arrives out of the blue, claiming to be Matteo's fiance, but there's no social media that shows them together (to the film's credit, they do address this, but it's barely an afterthought). One of Matteo's brothers is huge on social media, and not even he knew the scheme. This could've worked in an age before the Internet, but when you can literally find out a person's entire history in seconds. 


The Verdict:
While it maintains the generic style of the rom-com genre, "You, Me & Tuscany" is passable due to the charming cast, the beautiful setting, and the theme that it's never too late to explore your passion.

The Score: B-