Merolliv
I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.
Sharkflei
Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.
Ogosmith
Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
Nicole
I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
finnmcool
My husband saw this movie several years ago while on a plane bound for Germany. He has been talking about it ever since and finally tracked it down (Amazon.com), so that he could share it with me. Here in the U.S., the DVD format for this particular movie doesn't work on our DVD players, but we were able to change the DVD region setting in Device Manager on our computer and watch the DVD via laptop (you can only change this setting 4 or 5 times). I am so glad he finally found this movie! It is a real gem - sweet, innocent, and truly entertaining. It is a feast for the eyes as well as the soul. Another reviewer mentioned that Australian movies seem to get a bad rap, often being overlooked. How unfortunate! We would be thrilled if Hollywood would increase production of this type of film. I know other movies written by Jan Sardi have been available here in the States. I don't know why this one is not. That is truly a shame; so many people here are missing a great movie. If you're addicted to big-action crash 'em up, shoot 'em up, sexually explicit, adolescent toilet humor type movies, then this one probably won't appeal to you. However, if, like us, you enjoy gentle, heartwarming upbeat story lines with beautiful cinematography, acting, scenery and music, then be sure to watch this movie. It may even be "il destino"!
naxash
This film is so bad - dialogues, story, actors and actresses - everything! - that it's hard to imagine that we'll see a worse movie this year or in the following years. "Love's Brother" (set in Australia among Italian immigrants) has nothing but shallow clichés about Italian culture to offer, and it is quite telling that even the Italians from and in Italy speak ENGLISH in the film. The message of the film - ugly people have to marry ugly people, beautiful people have to marry beautiful people - is truly discomforting. Giovanni Ribisi is quite good in films like 'Suburbia' or 'Lost in Translation', but here his pseudo-Italian accent is hard to bear. See this film at your own risk. Trash as trash can!
mani_ratnam
I saw this movie at Cinema Paris at Fox Studios when I was in Sydney, Australia. Although the story has been done several times before, it is set amid a community of Italian immigrants in 1950's Australia, which makes it really unique.Giovanni Ribisi (Angelo) is the only actor I was familiar with before this movie, but I have to say Adam Garcia (Gino) and Amelia Warner (Rosetta) steal the show. And they are both DROP DEAD gorgeous! Performance wise, I liked Sylvia de Santis (Connie) the best!I loved how the characters evolve during the movie. Angelo seems to be weak and troubled emotionally, but turns out to be surprisingly robust. On the other hand, Gino, the more self-assured brother turns out to be quite vulnerable emotionally.The music from Stephen Warbeck is wonderful. I especially liked the background music when Rosetta first sees the mural of Italy in the cafe. Andrew Lesnie's cinematography captures the beauty of both Italy and the Australian wilderness. And if these are the types of movies Jan Sardi continues to make, I want to see more.You have to be a curmudgeon not to like this movie - it is so gentle and warm-hearted.
smoneypenny
Saw this film twice at Worldfest, Houston's film festival celebrating 37 years of independent film. It was magical! Had the distinct pleasure of meeting the director, Jan Sardi, and hearing "the inside scoop" of trials to get the film made. It was well worth the wait and effort! Sardi prefaced the screening with something like "there's no sex, drugs, violence, car chases, or profanity in the film...but I hope you'll like it." It's near perfect in my book and I hope it finds a U.S. distributor soon! Sardi's writing and direction is superb, and the casting couldn't be better (Adam Garcia and Amelia Warner are stunning, and Giovanni Ribisi is at his quirky best). Stephen Warbeck's (Oscar winner for Shakespeare in Love) score transports the viewer to Northern Italy and Andrew Lesnie (LOTR Oscar winner) showcases the sun-drenched golden hills of Italy and Oz's lush scenery as only he can.BTW, the film won Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Cinematography at the festival. A must-see...a gentle film for the entire family with enough magic to make you want to see it again and again!