Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12589 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-02-17
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Running time: 99 minutes

Synopsis
Old World values collide with modern-day questions of sexual orientation in this ethnic comedy. Mambo Italiano tells the story of Angelo, a neurotic twentysomething preoccupied with the usual post-adolescent concerns: his job, his creative aspirations as a writer, and his longing to get out of his parents' house. He finally decides to take the plunge on his last goal, a decision that makes parents Gino (Paul Sorvino) and Maria (Ginette Reno) none too happy; they're not about to let one of their offspring leave the house without getting married. What they don't know is that Angelo is gay, a secret he's been keeping from everyone but his understanding older sister Anna (Claudia Ferri). A greater shock yet to the family is that Angelo is moving in with longtime crush Nino (Peter Miller), a local policeman whose sexuality is at odds with his macho profession. As the two lovebirds struggle to make sense of their relationship, both of their families chime in with opinions both helpful and not-so-helpful as they struggle to come to terms with their sons' new lives. Shot and set in Montreal, Mambo Italiano premiered stateside at the 2003 New York Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide

DVD Menu

• Side #1 --
  • Play Movie
  • Subtitles
    • English
    • Subtitles Off
  • Scene Selections
  • Trailers
    • The Animal
    • I Capture the Castle
    • The New Guy
    • Stark Raving Mad
    • Stripes

DVD Chapters
Side #1 --
1. Start
2. How It All Began
3. Nino
4. Just Like Old Times
5. Angelo's Biggest Fan
6. Two Macho Studs
7. The End of the World
8. Lina Knows Everything
9. Pina Lunetti
10. Angelo's Civil War Script
11. The Gospel According to Marco
12. The Reunion Supper
13. Asking for a Miracle
14. "Dear Nino..."
15. "Return to Me"
16. The Circle of Compassion
17. Gay Helpline
18. Visiting Yolanda
19. Old Glasgow vs. New Galsgow
20. Invitation to the Wedding
21. Writing About What He Knows
22. Gay Pride
23. A Spur of the Moment Thing
24. Amature Shrink
25. Angelo the Confessor
26. Nino's Wedding
27. Angelo's TV Show
28. "I Will Survive"

Customer Reviews

Very Entertaining
A movie about two Italian families with (gasp) gay sons, which as I understand it from the movie is not a good thing if you're Italian. But as the movie goes on Maria and Gino begin to accept Angelo as being gay and are actually quite proud of him. I quite enjoyed this CANADIAN made movie, in which most of the stars are Canadian. I would recommend this movie for anyone who needs to laugh, and as you can see from other peoples reviews you don't have to be Canadian or Italian to enjoy it.

an interesting topic
It's true that this is a silly "ethnic" comedy about immigrants and their assimilated offspring, to be watched just for fun. But I still found the topic interesting because it relates to my experience as a North American guy in his 20s in a long-term relationship (in Italy itself) with an Italian guy in his 20s and his very traditional family, whom I got to observe thoroughly. A few times I found the spaghetti-commercial-style stereotypes just too overblown, but a couple of moments I thought "YES, that's how it is!" - especially the hysterical reaction of the family, and the part about living at home until marriage, or (if you're gay) NEVER leaving home. Also the family's efforts to fix Nino and Angelo up with girls as a reaction to their coming out is a fairly common in Italy. Some Italian families actually keep their gay sons or daughters secluded in the home so that the disgrace won't "get out", but that's not as common today. But the 180 degree switch from hiding it to showing it off at the end seemed contrived, but it was the only way to make a happy ending out of what would have been a long, emotional ordeal for a real family. I liked that they kept it a light-hearted comedy instead of letting it deteriorate into sugary sentimentalism or self-important drama. If you have no connection to the subject matter though, it's not a particularly special film but it's not too slow-moving and makes decent light entertainment for an evening.

Academy Award? No. Enjoyable picture? Absolutely
Let's take 'Mambo Italiano' for what it's worth: a very enjoyable film stocked with a lot of laughs, but also poignant because there's no doubt that the tale has been pulled from the real life experiences of playright Steve Galluccio.

While leads Luke Kirby ('Angelo') and Peter Miller ('Nino') don't stand out in any way, it's Paul Sorvino and Ginette Reno as Angelo's parents who will stick with you. Yes, as others have noted, these are highly stereotypical portrayals. But it's Gaulluccio's life and *he* wrote the characters that way. Obviously, he's played it up a bit, but that gives Reno (and especially) Sorvino big meaty roles that they can really sink their teeth into. Watching Paul Sorvino is a treat. He's the kind of guy who could read the phone book to you with panache.

I also completely loved Mark Camacho's over-the-top, hilariously profane take as TV exec Johnny Christofaro. In a series of episodes that could again only have been drawn from playright Galluccio's real life experiences, the Christofaro character - in what can best to described as a series of 'friendly' profane explosions - rips into the writer, belittling his work, tearing down his confidence, but then finishing his tirade every time with an upbeat, sincere "How's your Mom?" Once Angelo hits the big time, there's Christofaro on an interview show in a classic exchange, remembering how he always encouraged Angelo to 'never give up' (replete with a series of now characteristic F bombs). Nothing could be further from the truth of course, which is what makes it so funny. Great writing.

A hidden gem: look for Galluccio appearing as 'himself' (in a way) - he's the 'TV version' of Angelo in the sitcom-within-the-movie.