You, Me & Tuscany (dir. Kat Coiro)
By: Adam Freed
Joy can be found in a multitude of places; morning coffee, a good book, travel, perhaps even a favorite film. Whatever the catalyst for one’s delight may be, it is best not to nitpick the minutiae surrounding the experience, for alas, few things are ever perfect. Dwelling on the temperature of one’s coffee, may mitigate the serenity of a tranquil moment. Bemoaning an overcast vacation morning is likely to blur the possibilities that the rest of the day has to offer. Director Kat Coiro’s joyful romantic travel comedy You, Me & Tuscany works very much this same way. While it isn’t hard to identify some of the film’s narrative shortcomings, to dwell on them is to sacrifice the impact of the delightful optimism that You, Me & Tuscany has to offer.
The contemporary fairy tale centers on the story of Anna, an aspiring chef, who after the death of her mother, has difficulty gaining traction in her life in New York. Anna is played by an effervescent Halle Bailey (The Little Mermaid, The Color Purple), an actress that radiates with the beauty and infinite optimism of a Disney princess, while maintaining a humanistic reality that makes forgiving her missteps easy. The trajectory of Anna’s life shifts when she meets Matteo (Lorenzo de Moor), a handsome Italian realtor who urges her to follow her lifelong dream of visiting Tuscany. With an open heart, and a bit of movie magic, Anna soon finds herself basking in the Tuscan sun with very little money and even less of a plan for her preservation while in Italy. Her path is once again altered by the arrival of Michael, an English-born Italian who runs a local vineyard. The instant attraction between the two is unmistakable, understandable considering that Michael is embodied by Regé-Jean Page (Bridgerton, Black Bag). Bailey and Page share an effortless chemistry that never ventures into hypersexualization or the presentation of any stakes that threaten the light and airy nature of You, Me & Tuscany.
Beyond a multitude of wanderlust-inducing Italian vistas and stunning Tuscan sunsets, lies the true secret sauce behind Kat Coiro’s film. You, Me & Tuscany works because it leans into the ensemble nature of its story, allowing for Anna’s journey to remain at the forefront, while surrounding both she and Michael with a delightful array of comedic characters. Most notable of this collection are local cab driver and romantic Lorenzo (Marco Calvani), as well as Michael’s vivacious sister Francesca, played with gravitational joy by Stella Pecollo (Dedalus, Extravergine). There is a Disney-eque quality to the way that the small Tuscan village in which the film takes place is framed that makes all of the events that occur within radiate with warm invitation. Wisely, Coiro’s film never weaponizes its comedy or wades into mean-spirited waters, which aids the intentional preservation of its smile-inducing tone. You, Me & Tuscany is as light and enjoyable as an Italian morning. There is no shortage of narrative blemishes throughout this modern Italian fairy tale, but audiences willing to take an open-hearted leap of faith with You, Me & Tuscany are very likely to bask in the warmth and vibrancy that it has to offer.
Target Score 6.5/10 - Modern fairy tales don’t come much more enjoyable than You, Me & Tuscany. Highlighted by a pair of inviting performances from Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page, the delightful Italian-set romantic comedy makes excusing its flaws a worthwhile experience.