ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL: Rocco Papaleo’s entirely likable if unremarkable road movie Basilicata Coast to Coast opens with an entreaty from God himself, pleading you to follow your passion.
It’s a bold move for the writer/director; the fact that he is also the owner of the disembodied voice might fuel concerns that this romp is a vanity project but, for all its flaws and to its admirable credit, self-servitude doesn’t appear to be on Papaleo’s agenda.
His story of musically-minded male friendship echoes the best bits of The Full Monty (1997) and The Commitments (1991), with the added benefit of being filmed against a backdrop of some of southern Italy’s most beautiful countryside. If this film leaves any lasting impression at all, it will probably be to the benefit the Basilicata Tourism Board.
Papaleo plays Nicola Palmieri, frontman for a band that ekes out a living at social events in their hometown, until its members hit the big time on their own terms. When accepted into a music festival, Nicola decides that a 10-day cross-country journey on foot, will act as a publicity-seeking, chemistry-building exercise from which the band can only emerge better off. His fellow musicians agree and they hit the road, accompanied by a reluctant local-paper journo, Tropea (Giovanna Mezzogiorno).
Complications ensue, of course, though none of the sub-plots really enhance the film’s meandering storyline. A strange mid-section sucks the warm sense of camaraderie out of the film. Rocco selfishly deserts the band and their shared endeavour for no dramatic benefit, and the remaining friends stumble upon a car accident, leading to some roadside surgery that really has no place in a film like this. The third act piles incident-upon-incident in what feels like an effort to pad the trip out to feature-length running-time; such cutesy moments as an undie-clad beach frolic feel desperate. However, it does eventually build towards a nicely-played finale, albeit one that offers few surprises.
Where the film succeeds is in its melding of optimistic souls, especially in its portrayal of men who share a common dream. If at times Basilicata Coast to Coast descends into saccharine schmaltz, one can’t begrudge the impassioned intent of its sentiment. You may not cheer for Papaleo’s film come Oscar time (in fact, I guarantee it), but it’s entirely likely you will when watching it.
