Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) review

Dir. Audrey Wells

By: Steve Pulaski

Rating: ★★★

Under the Tuscan Sun has always lived nestled in a random corner of my brain for no other reason than it was, along with the Ashton Kutcher comedy My Boss’s Daughter, one of the first DVDs I remember seeing my local supermarket carrying. Each aisle had a couple copies of both movies. At the time, it signaled to my seven-year-old-self that VHS was rapidly being phased out. If Jewel-Osco was suddenly prioritizing DVDs as impulse buys, the sea-change was soon to come. I successfully managed to convince my mother we needed a DVD player soon thereafter. I still have a copy of My Boss’s Daughter, my first DVD, in my vast collection.

Guiltily, it took me 21 years before I finally pushed play on Under the Tuscan Sun, far too long for a film I rightly figured I’d enjoy. The film is lovely in its lack of ambiguity. The poster/DVD cover shows what lies therein: a beautiful Italian backdrop, a delightful old-world charm, an irresistible, smiley Diane Lane, and the faintest suggestion of romance.

Lane stars as Frances Mayes, a literary critic who learns her husband is cheating on her just when she was enjoying the comforts of her life. The fallout only last a year, but its effects are devastating. She’s forced to forfeit her home and subsequently lives in a ramshackle studio where suicidal divorcees are as common as roaches. Utterly miserable, her pregnant friend Patti (Sandra Oh in another strong, memorable showcase) gifts her an opportunity: a “gay tour” of Tuscany, for her girlfriend doesn’t want her flying so early into her first trimester. This at least assures Frances won’t be courted.

In Tuscany, Frances breaks from the group and wanders into a rundown Italian villa at the right time. She’s smitten by the home’s rustic beauty and multi-generational appeal, so much so that she makes the contessa an offer. The contessa says she needs a sign. A bird then unloads on Frances, and that’s enough for contessa to concede to a lower-than-expected offer.

Frances hires a group of illegal Polish immigrants to rehab the villa. In the midst of the impulsive excitement, writer/director Audrey Wells assures Frances has no shortage of colorful characters drop in and out of her life. There’s Martini (Vincent Riotta), a real estate agent who harbors an unsubtle crush on her, and an actress (Lindsay Duncan) whose purpose is never clearly outlined, but she met Fellini at 16-years-old, so she’s as Italian as it gets. Eventually, Marcello (Raoul Bova) enters and suggests that maybe all is not lost for Frances in the romance department.

I audibly groaned at Marcello’s arrival. I was plenty keen on 113 minutes spent watching Diane Lane stumblebum her way through Tuscany, the Italian language, and fixing up a villa that might’ve been a better candidate for destruction. What I didn’t quite expect was the way Wells utilizes his character and their ensuing romance. Marcello is yet another lesson for Frances to learn in due time, one with which she’ll be more equipped to accept, albeit begrudgingly, while holding out more hope than Carrie Bradshaw that she’ll find the right person.

Films like Under the Tuscan Sun operate on a metaphorical minefield. The ways in which they can be derailed by flat humor, cultural insensitivity, and perfunctory romances makes them, I would assume, an easier-than-normal exercise for screenwriters, but a slog for viewers who value their time. Putting her own spin on the real life Frances Mayes’ bestselling book, Wells strikes a wonderful balance in making the film an immersive little travelogue and its main character as someone worthy of happiness. Frances is a good person to her core, with an irresistible charm and resilience that makes her a joy to be around. Wells also posits her supporting characters not as black-and-white heroes and villains, but as people with a varied array of motivations, urges, and feelings. The textures of her screenplay are not confined to the sun-kissed landscapes captured by the talented Geoffrey Simpson.

There’s nothing wrong with escapism. Some get too wrapped up in fantasy that they fail to see a story for its obvious flaws. Under the Tuscan Sun doesn’t give you a reason to squint. Even in its most fantastical and far-reaching moments, it was still made with tender love and thought, a credit to the late Audrey Wells, whose impact will continue to be remembered and cherished.

Starring: Diane Lane, Sandra Oh, Lindsay Duncan, Raoul Bova, Pawel Szajda, Vincent Riotta, Mario Monicelli, Roberto Nobile, and Anita Zagaria. Directed by: Audrey Wells.