Cast: Diego Abatantuono, Ines Sastre, Dario Cantarelli, Cinia Mascoli, Valeria D'Obici, Mario
Erpichini
Director: Pupi Avati
Producers: Aurelio De Laurentiis, Antonio Avati
Screenplay: Pupi Avati
Cinematography: Pasquale Rachini
Music: Riz Ortolani
U.S. Distributor: October Films
In Italian with subtitles
The Best Man is a romantic comedy that lacks both a heart and a soul. With sumptuous photography by cinematographer Pasquale Rachini, there's no doubt that the movie looks great, but a wonderful visual approach is hardly a suitable substitute for poorly-defined characters, a choppy script, and the absence of a tangible sense of romance. This is the kind of film that viewers expect to take flight; instead, it hovers uncertainly for a while before crashing to the ground with a thud. It is a seriously flawed effort, and even the most die-hard romantic will likely be dissatisfied by the sterile tone adopted by veteran director Pupi Avati.
It's the last day of the penultimate year of the 19th century (i.e., December 31, 1899), and, for the families and friends of Francesca Babini (Ines Sastre) and Edgardo Osti (Dario Cantarelli), there's a double reason to be happy. Not only is everyone looking forward to stepping into the 1900s (the century that promises the abolition of war and man's first trip to the moon), but there is a marriage to celebrate. Edgardo, one of the wealthiest and most respected men in the district, is finally giving up the bachelor's life. The lucky girl is Francesca, but she doesn't feel very lucky. She wants to marry for love, and her ideal partner is not the much older Edgardo, despite his bulging bank account. But she agrees to go through with the ceremony for her parents' sake. Then, on the way to the altar, she unexpectedly spies her true love. He is Angelo Beliossi (Diego Abatantuono), the best man. Cultured, handsome, and wealthy, he has just returned from America. And, as Francesca stands before the priest, she gazes at Angelo while reciting her vows, marrying him in her mind rather than Edgardo.
Although the script for The Best Man isn't a masterpiece of plotting, it would have served its purpose if there was any sense of romance or passion in the production. Unfortunately, there isn't. Francesca, Edgardo, and Angelo are all plastic characters, exhibiting little in the way of emotion. The performers portraying these three don't do much with the material they're given. Ines Sastre, a Spanish actress/model, is gorgeous in period costumes, but she shows virtually no range. Diego Abatantuono spends the entire film looking rugged, stern, and like he's experiencing a mild case of indigestion. And Dario Cantarelli (Mediterraneo) fails utterly as either a villain or a sympathetic individual. As for the pairing of Sastre and Abatantuono -- a unskilled boy scout would have a better chance of generating heat by rubbing two wet sticks together.
In addition to suffering from an uninspired romantic coupling, The Best Man is further damaged by an uneven screenplay. Several subplots (including the eventual fate of Francesca's financially- strapped family) dead-end without resolution as the movie struggles to clock in with a reasonable running time. It's unclear whether the omissions are the result of poor writing or a bad editing job, but, whatever the cause, the outcome is a series of frustrating story lapses. Don't become interested in the supporting characters -- there isn't closure for any of their tales.
One thing that The Best Man succeeds at, besides offering a series of wonderful images, is to gently poke fun at the irrational views we cling to that the next year/century/millennium will bring something glorious and new. With 2000 approaching, it's especially interesting to take a look back and see how men and women viewed the advent of 1900. Additionally, it's of some interest (as well as amusement) to observe the wedding customs of a small, deeply-religious community in 19th century Italy. For example, the marriage bed can only be prepared by "sacred girls" and a confirmed virgin is needed to help the bride dress.
Ultimately, however, it's only in the details that The Best Man works. The larger brushstrokes are far less sure. The last decade has seen a number of brilliant and memorable Italian imports, including (but not limited to) Cinema Paradiso and Il Postino, but The Best Man's trajectory is far below the orbit of those two. When the year is over, this will stand out as one of 1998's least memorable foreign language features.
© 1998 James Berardinelli