Movie Review

Basilicata Coast to Coast

If you’ve watched Italian films before, you’d know they rock to a different beat compared with their other European counterparts. Basilicata Coast to Coast is no different.

Set in the beautiful region of Basilicata in southern Italy, the story revolves around four guys in a band who make a pact to travel by foot from the west coast, directly east across land to a festival on the opposite coastline, in a well-crafted publicity stunt. Led by hotel owner Nicola, the tight-lipped Franco, C-Grade celebrity Rocco and his softly spoken cousin Salvatore, they are accompanied by a struggling journalist, Tropea, who makes a documentary about their 10-day trip. Faced with family, friend and lover quarrels, the band also meet some fascinating characters along the way. But ultimately the group learns just how much their music, their friendship, their hopes and their dreams mean to them, as they discover what is really important in their lives.

Basically there’s two ways you can watch this film. You can sit in the theatre and wonder why on earth a band from rural Italy, with such varying ages and wacky personalities would ever blow their unlikely shot at stardom by taking such a slow and treacherous route to the music festival. Or, you can look past the often cheesy sequences and just embrace the strange characters, plot and pace of the film for all its worth. Despite the somewhat predictable and at times overly ridiculous scenes, once you get in tune with the awkward rhythm of this film it’s hard not to be swept up in the heart-warming narrative and simply enjoy it.

Delightfully broken up by songs about omelette sandwiches and prostitutes, there’s something very charming about this rag-tag bunch of musicians. They’re a bit like an Italian version of Flight of the Conchords, and what’s not to like about that?

The acting performances are solid despite the overly romantic plot. However the hero of the film has got to be the picturesque cinematography showcasing the best of the hidden gem of Italy – the Basilicata region.

3/5

In its twelfth year, the 2011 Lavazza Italian Film Festival brings to Brisbane the latest and greatest cinema direct from Italy from 5th – 23rd of October. Whether you speak Italian or not, there’s something for everyone!

For tickets or session and venue information go to, http://www.italianfilmfestival.com.au/

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