I did not like this movie. The characters were very one dimensional people, with the exception of Caterina. The mother was an idiot, the father was obnoxious with the exception of loving his daughter, the Australian boy that's revealed too late in the film just stands there like Edward the vampire and kisses Caterina at the end. The "friends" Caterina gets in the movie are either bratty or just plain evil and had no personality other than being mean. If not to Caterina than to their mother as in the case of her first friend. There's really little to say that's good about this film, I suppose it has good cinematography and there's a good moment of shock when they do the Fascist salute at the wedding. Oh and the chauffeur hits one of the girls so he became my favorite character in that instant.

Made around the same time as the American film THIRTEEN, CATERINA IN THE CITY (the U.S. release title unnecessarily adds "BIG" - as if we don't know how large Rome is!), shows us a young girl moving from the suburbs to Rome proper. As fine a film as THIRTEEN was in many respects, CATERINA is even more ambitious as it adds politics and class to the stew of a young girl's coming of age (though CATERINA falls short of THIRTEEN in the sexuality department). CATERINA is perhaps too ambitious for its own good. Though the film balances the various story lines and themes fairly well, you can't help but feel that it would have been stronger as drama if it were more focused. Still, CATERINA gives us a glimpse of the social turbulence that is going on in modern day Italy (can one even imagine such a toxic stew in an American "Teen Film"? Can you picture Hillary Duff going to a Communist rally and NOT have it be done as a joke or a farce!?).And, what would normally be the "big dramatic climax" in the story towards the end, is treated as just another bump on the road in Caterina's life. In fact, Caterina just shrugs and hopes that the person is doing fine where they are. No big tantrums or ruined lives. How refreshing.

I am a student in Australia, in year 9, 15 years old, studying Italian at LaSalle Catholic College Bankstown. I viewed this film as an excursion 3 days ago, and I loved it. I feel for Caterina because I guess I am a little naive in a way. She didn't realize that people were using her, she didn't realize that Margherita liked her in a different, more romantic way, she didn't know about a lot that went on in Rome. It was a very nice, dramatic and funny storyline, and i suppose it appeals to a large audience. I rated it 9/10. I took off 1 mark because I feel not enough was shown of Edward, the guy she loved, the guy from "down under", the guy who most Australians can identify with. He played a prime role in my eyes because he brought her life back on track when she had run away. A little more could have also been shown of Fabietto and Agata's relationship. This film was an excellent representation of the comparison between the posh side of Italy and the grateful and appreciative side of Italy

I think Virzì is one of the most interesting director in Italy, at the present moment. His ability to portray the current Italian society is quite good, and he achieves this either with *characters* (the two families in "Ferie d'Agosto", the father in "Caterina va in città") and with *stories* (the story of "Ovosodo", a bit of an Italian "It's a wonderful life"... just a bit, obviously... :-)."Caterina va in città" is a good movie: the idea of showing chunks of the Italian society and habits through the eyes of an innocent teenager gives the movie a "fairy tale" twist that makes it really "light" and enjoyable. I also liked the mom's character, played by a really good and beautiful Margherita Buy: in general, I appreciated Virzì's idea that the "good" part of society is based on the strength of women, as all male characters in this movie either are donquixotesque losers or spoiled and arrogant over-grown babies.But, as for most of his movies, I think the same criticism again apply: Virzì is openly a left-wing director, but he stresses this a bit too much and sometimes its works sound too "ideological": art should make you think, not tell you what to think, I guess. In addiction, some characters are too stereotypical and don't come out of a really deep psychological analysis. Still, I think he is currently the director who knows best how to take on the screen what goes on in Italy.In conclusion, I think this movie - just like "Ovosodo" - is based on a simple yet powerful assumption: that happiness is the disease of the idiots...