Are all relationships based on lies? Jake Bianski runs a fish market in north Boston, surrounded by Italians. For years, he's carried a torch for Isabella, an ex-girlfriend now married with three children and no interest in Jake. Yet, he tells everyone she's his girlfriend, including Marisa, a veterinarian his employees set him up with at the Italian singles club. She's interested in him until he tells her about his girlfriend, then he's persistent in asking her to be his friend. As the friendship bumps along, Jake realizes that reality may be better than fantasy, but what if Isabella changes her mind about Jake, and what if it comes out that Marisa, like Jake, isn't Italian?
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This movie is simply dismal. The script is among the worst I've ever seen brought even to home video. Just about every scene is an awkward, poorly set up contrivance, the jokes are howlers. And once again we have actors overdoing the stereotype of an Italian-American accent by using a New York accent...in a movie that takes place in Boston.Everything about this movie was bad, the conversations between the Italian and Italian-American characters being the very worst of it. Not five seconds goes by without a cliché, which almost becomes comforting in its predictability.For a while I watched this movie just to see if it was as dismal as it seemed when I first tuned in. It was. I went against my rule of always watching movies through to the end, but ended up turning it off. I have no idea how it even ends, and I don't even care.
Jake (Jay Jablonski) is still stuck on his old, Italian-American girlfriend. Nevermind that she married someone else eight years ago, after Jake cheated on her, and has had three children. Jake still shows up at her apartment with flowers and his declarations of love. This not only annoys his ex and her family, but nearly everyone Jake knows. From his florist, Theresa (Penny Marshall) to his fellow workers at a fish market, Jake is constantly urged to "move on" in the romance department. Most of the market's employees are Italian but Jake is not, having inherited the fishy place from his deceased, Polish-American parents. One night, one of the guys spies a beautiful woman, Marisa (Cerisa Vincent) and invites her to the next Italian club dance to meet Jake. Although she tries to tell him that she is not Italian, he doesn't listen. Later, this man urges Jake to attend the dance and pretend that HE, Jake, is Italian as well, to impress Marisa. Very reluctantly, Jake agrees. Well, well, the two really do seem to have eyes for each other, although Jake makes no bones about telling Marisa that he is already "involved" with someone else. For a quick revenge, Marisa runs up the restaurant bill on their first date! Ha ha. However, the two decide to become "just friends" and pal around together as running companions, etc. What follows is a romantic cat-and-mouse game, especially since Jake's ex does appear to be casting eyes at him again. Will Jake and Marisa realize they are meant for each other and will it matter when they both find out that neither of them is Italian? This is an extremely enjoyable and clever romantic comedy set in a lovely old neighborhood in Boston. The cast is delightful, although few of them are familiar to most audiences. The two leads, Jablonski and Vincent, are very attractive and winning while the Italian-heritaged workers of the fish market are a stitch and more. Costumes are also lovely, with Vincent looking sharp at every turn. Yes, occasionally, the situations become slightly risqué and the language a bit salty. But, overall, with its very funny script and well-paced, secure direction, this is a true gem for nearly everybody, Italian or not. Want to laugh tonight, folks? Search high and low for this very good film.
I attended a screening of this movie. It was wrought with clichés and very unfunny jokes and set ups. I think the other comments were by people who must've worked on the movie or been family members of the cast. I'm amazed this movie cost $3-$4 million without any real stars. Where did the budget go? It obviously didn't go to writers for re-writes. Nice thought to bank on the success of Big Fat Greek Wedding, but a major miss. There was little or any spark between the main characters and the inciting incident was a bit flimsy at best. The direction was uninspired and looked like a student film.I don't even know what it means Everybody Wants to Italian. Is that a real saying. I've never heard it.
I too had similar reactions in the theater I went to this week. Audience I would say liked the film, let's say a 3 out of 5 star and what I have read online so far especially from the NYC critics is like a 1 out of 5, there is no way this film is a 1, what are you watching or are we so used to what Hollywood has been running out there every five days that we forget about movies like The Godfather, hello, do you remember the score, it wasn't like it kept flowing, there were times where you could fall asleep, but no one is questioning one of the best movies of all time, now this is no Godfather, but the cast, Jay Jablonski, Cerina Vincent, Marisa Petroro, John Enos, and John Kapelos, all inter-act on screen nicely, the story line and characters ARE believable, have you ever spent time listening to Italian guys talk, this is the real deal. Call it what you will but my Italian step-father agrees 100% he loved the film. I hope the general population will not read some of the so called, "Critic's" and question exactly what they are talking about, they get paid for these comments?
