Italian For Beginners ***1/2

At the start of Italian For Beginners, I found myself somewhat irritated by the camera style, which seemed amateurish. The camera is hand held and jiggles around a lot. It's as if the photographer filmed the movie with a point and shoot camera. Nevertheless, before long, the movie draws you in and succeeds in capturing your interest. There are six main characters: A minister, a restaurant manager, a hairdresser, a hotel manager, a bakery clerk, and a waitress, along with a number of supporting actors. The theme of the movie is loss and loneliness. Everyone has experienced loss and everyone is experiencing loneliness. Indeed, the Italian class seems to be not more than an excuse to be with others. There is tragedy, frustration, and plenty more to make this a bleak portrait, yet, there is comedy and joy that offsets, indeed overcomes, the everyday lives of these complicated, ordinary people.