RegeJeanPage – Credits Rolling

Anna (Halle Bailey), a down on her luck professional house sitter, has lost her way since the death of her mother. After quitting culinary school, she isn’t sure what she wants to do with her life. She meets Matteo (Lorenzo de Moor) and learns that he has a villa in Tuscany that is empty. Taking a chance, she sets off to experience the dolce vita. Unfortunately for Anna, all the hotels in the area are booked up. Remembering the empty villa, she breaks in and decides to stay for a while. But when she runs into Matteo’s family, she comes up with the elaborate lie that she’s his fiancée. This complicates everything when Anna meets Michael (Regé-Jean Page), Matteo’s cousin, and a connection forms between them.

Romantic comedies have been few and far between over the last few years and that is a shame. Sometimes all we need is something predictable yet comforting when we know exactly how the film is going to end, but for a couple of hours we still enjoy the journey that gets us there. I was looking forward to seeing You, Me & Tuscany for a variety of reasons and I am glad to report that it completely delivered.

Bailey already proved her leading lady status when she starred as Ariel in the live action Little Mermaid. It was nice to see her something more contemporary and I thought she did a great job. She brought a relatability to Anna that made me want to root for her, even in the middle of the mess she finds herself in. I hadn’t seen Page in anything in a hot minute. While I didn’t feel like his character was as fleshed out as Anna, he still delivered a solid performance. From the very first moment they met, their chemistry was palpable and I thought they were so cute together. I only wish we’d seen just a few more scenes between them to make it that much more believable.

The film was genuinely funny and I think that was partially thanks to the supporting cast. Marco Calvani starred as Lorenzo, a taxi driver who Anna befriends when she gets to Italy. I enjoyed each moment he was on screen. Not only did he have some good one liners, he and Anna had a great rapport. Isabella Ferrari portrays Gabriella, Matteo’s mother, while Stella Pecollo is Francesca, his sister. The former made me laugh for all the discomfort caused between her and Anna while the latter had me giggling with all of her over sharing antidotes. I only wish we had had more of Aziza Scott’s Claire, Anna’s bestie, who provides support for her from across the pond. She’s the type of no nonsense, wise cracking girl we all need in our corner.

It’s no surprise that the backdrop is stunning. Taking place in a small town in Tuscany, the views look like they belong in a picture perfect postcard. From Matteo’s villa, to the town square and the sprawling mountains, this made me want to book a vacation there stat. The cinematography was also a feast for the eyes when it came to all the food that was featured. The close up shots of Anna’s bruschetta as well as the various dishes made at Ristorante Costa and everything else in between, I was positively salivating.

Overall, I think we need more films like You, Me & Tuscany. It didn’t reinvent the romcom genre, but it didn’t have to. It leaned into it in just the right way. Sure it was cheesy and I had to suspend some belief throughout, but it did leave me with a massive smile on my face and that’s all that matters. It’s also awesome to see two Black leads on the big screen. This is something that doesn’t happen enough and the representation is so important. I recommend checking it out.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

After uncovering top secret agency secrets from the CIA, agent Six (Ryan Gosling) finds himself on the run. With the help of Dani Miranda (Ana De Armas), he must escape time and time again from former agent Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans) who will stop at nothing until Six is dead.

Once upon a time, I used to look forward to action movies. They aren’t my favorite genre by any means, but as long as there is a good balance between the fight sequences, explosions and the overall storyline, I can usually get behind them. Unfortunately I cannot say that The Gray Man falls into this category. I was excited for this one too as it was set up by Netflix to be the next big summer blockbuster. Alas, it fell short.

The only good part about the film was a few of the cast members. I couldn’t even tell you the last time I saw Ryan Gosling in anything, so it was refreshing to have him back on my screen. I also loved seeing Ana De Armas again, who always brings her A game. While the movie boasted other large names such as Alfre Woodard, Regé-Jean Page, Billy Bob Thornton and Chris Evans, I have to say that they delivered less than stellar performances. I was stoked to hear that Page, Netflix protégé, was cast in something after Bridgerton. His scenes were lacklustre and his accent pretty terrible. And then there was Evans, who I am beginning to think is taking after Ryan Reynolds in that he plays himself. I liked seeing him portray a villain, although he was over the top and whiny. And what was up with that moustache?

I wish I could say the action itself was entertaining, but that would be a lie. There was way too much CGI and the fight scenes were repetitive, they just took place in different locations. I understand the purpose behind it and maybe it’s some people’s cup of tea. It just wasn’t mine. I wish there’d been more beef behind the scenes to make me care more about what was happening.

While The Gray Man seemed to be so very promising, I was massively let down by its execution. Sometimes, watching a movie for its stars is just not enough for me anymore.

Rating: ♥.5