My Big Gay Italian Wedding at Luna

Details: Written by: Greg Letts; Category: Arts & Culture; Published: 29 May 2019

My-Big-Gay-Italian-Wedding-Luna

Antonio (Cristiano Caccamo) and Paolo (Salvatore Esposito)
Photo Credit: My Big Gay Italian Wedding

It's been 25 years since the success of Four Weddings and a Funeral, but the impact of Richard Curtis' romantic comedy masterpiece is still felt in cinemas around the world, as evidenced by movies such as My Big Gay Italian Wedding.

And while the year is now 2019 and attitudes towards sexuality have changed a lot, it is not surprising that the theme of “love conquers all” still remains a central tenet of plot lines around the world.

When Antonio (Cristiano Caccamo) proposes to his boyfriend Paolo (Salvatore Esposito) in their apartment in Berlin, Paolo asks to join him on his journey back to his hometown for Easter, so that he can meet Antonio's parents and announce their impending marriage. But Antonio hasn't actually come out to his parents yet...

Throw in a couple of travelling companions (their landlord Benedetta, an idle rich girl with daddy issues, and roommate Donato, a newly arrived cross dressing bus driver having an identity crisis), and you have the basic recipe for an entertaining hour and a half of romantic comedy. Add Antonio's accepting but demanding mother, old-school father, and stalker ex-girlfriend trying to win him back, and you now have a potentially really good movie on your hands.

This being a typical rom-com, there are plenty of stumbles and mishaps along the way, and the obligatory dance number at the end. It's all handled with a nice light touch and without getting preachy, and the characters are treated sympathetically within their stereotypes. A final mention must go to the town of Civita di Bagnoregio, which provides an amazing backdrop for Antonio's hometown.

My Big Gay Italian Wedding is a fun and entertaining romp through gorgeous scenery and with a likeable cast – Cristiano Caccamo in particular evokes a Hugh Grantish vibe quite often with his boyish good looks and charm. You'll come out of the cinema with a smile on your face and perhaps even with a dance step or two!

My Big Gay Italian Wedding opens at Luna Palace Cinemas in Perth (Luna Leederville and Luna SX) on the 6th June.

Or catch the sneak preview on the 2nd June which includes a glass of prosecco and a Baci.

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