'Under The Tuscan Sun'
(Diane Lane, Raoul Bova / PG-13 / 98 mins / Columbia Pictures)
Overview:In this film loosely based on Frances Mayes' popular memoir of the same name, Diane Lane plays a San Francisco author whose recent divorce leaves her suffering from depression and a nasty case of writer's block. On the advice of her best friend (Sandra Oh), the 35-year-old woman takes a vacation to the Tuscany region of Italy. She likes it there so much that she buys a villa in the town of Cortona. Her new life becomes even more exciting when she finds love in the arms of a handsome local (Raoul Bova).
Verdict: Well, apart from the annoying voiceover, Lane's performance gives this picture postcard-scenario a hint of depth, but even then it leaves little for Lane to do besides chuckle at setbacks as if they were naughty children! 'Under The Tuscan Sun' is a sickly-sweet scented candle of a movie, and one that could easily be a Lifetime movie channel chick-flick, movie-of-the-week! That said, 'Under The Tuscan Sun' is definitely a beautifully shot motion picture, but there's no doubt that the lush scenery upstages the actors! Ultimately, it just shows how far Diane Lane can carry a flawed picture.
Reviewed by Sarah Hickson
'Under The Tuscan Sun'