Italian for Beginners (2001)
86%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: 21 wins & 22 nominations
Unlike many romantic comedies, the charming Italian for Beginners feels natural and genuinely heart-warming
Italian for Beginners is like a warm hug from your nonna, if your nonna was a quirky Danish rom-com. The film manages to balance realism with a touch of magic, making even the most mundane moments feel special. The characters are imperfect and relatable, and their journey towards love and happiness is both sweet and enjoyable. Sure, the production values may be minimalist, but that just adds to the film’s charm. So grab a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs and settle in for a heartwarming ride.
Production Company(ies)
Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment,
Distributor
Miramax Films
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Hvidovre, Sjælland, Denmark
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and some sexuality
Year of Release
2002
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby SR
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Aspect ratio:1.37 : 1
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Runtime:1h 52m
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Language(s):Danish, Italian, English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 18, 2002 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 15, 2002
Genre(s)
Comedy/Romance
Keyword(s)
starring Anders W Berthelsen, Anette Støvelbæk, Peter Gantzler, Lars Kaalund, Sara Indrio Jensen, Rikke Wölck, directed by Lone Scherfig, written by Lone Scherfig, Comedy, Romance, box office performance, budget, reviewed by David Ansen, Richard Porton, Nell Minow, Jeff Strickler, Michael Wilmington, Ib Tardini, produced by Ib Tardini, R MPAA rating, Copenhagen, Denmark, Italian lessons, love, community, loneliness, insecurity, interweaving stories, winter, small grey suburb, major decisions, happy solutions, Miramax Films, Dolby Stereo, Flat (1.66:1), Anders W Berthelsen as Andreas, Anette Støvelbæk as Olympia, Peter Gantzler as Jørgen Mortensen, Lars Kaalund as Hal-Finn, Sara Indrio Jensen as Giulia, Rikke Wölck as Lise
Worldwide gross: $16,350,876
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $27,118,951
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,580
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,957,356
US/Canada gross: $4,544,753
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $7,537,757
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,692
US/Canada opening weekend: $66,047
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $109,543
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,901
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $1,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $1,658,563
Production budget ranking: 2,045
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $893,136
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $24,567,253
ROI to date (est.): 963%
ROI ranking: 131
Anette Støvelbæk – Olympia
Peter Gantzler – Jørgen Mortensen
Lars Kaalund – Hal-Finn
Sara Indrio Jensen – Giulia
Rikke Wölck – Lise
Lone Scherfig – Director/Writer
Ib Tardini – Producer
Director(s)
Lone Scherfig
Writer(s)
Lone Scherfig
Producer(s)
Ib Tardini
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
21 wins & 22 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (87) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (76) | Rotten (11)
Without abandoning the illusion of realism, Scherfig and her wonderful cast slyly transmute the quotidian into the magical. It’s like watching flowers bloom in a concrete garden.
March 7, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
Scherfig manages to elicit excellent performances from a talented cast.
September 29, 2017
Richard Porton
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Romantic, often comic but certainly for grownups.
December 24, 2010 | Rating: 4/5
Nell Minow
Common Sense Media
TOP CRITIC
Scherfig, who has had a successful career in TV, tackles more than she can handle.
November 6, 2002 | Rating: 2/4
Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
TOP CRITIC
An engaging Danish movie that rises from the ashes of loneliness and despair to spread feelings of happiness across the screen.
August 9, 2002 | Rating: B
Robert Denerstein
Denver Rocky Mountain News
TOP CRITIC
A rarity: a humane picture about modern romance among believable adults.
July 20, 2002
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
There’s much enjoyment to be had in the quirkiness and imperfection of the characters as they struggle to overcome personal misfortune.
April 17, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Kaleem Aftab
The List
March 22, 2013 | Rating: B
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
a lightweight story about matchmaking, the characters make it worth the journey.
June 24, 2011 | Rating: B
John A. Nesbit
Old School Reviews
At the core a sweet, enjoyable movie that even the most casual movie-goer would enjoy.
June 21, 2007 | Rating: B+
Jason Gorber
Film Scouts
Once you get used to the handheld camerawork and the minimalist production values, you’ll discover a beguiling romantic dramedy that feels as authentic as your own home movies.
November 6, 2006 | Rating: 3/4
Betsy Bozdech
DVDJournal.com
May 20, 2003 | Rating: 3/4
Jim Shelby
Palo Alto Weekly…
Plot
A young minister, a widower, is temporarily assigned to a church whose suspended pastor drove parishioners away; he stays at a hotel where he meets Jørgen, who’s alone approaching middle age. Jørgen’s friend Finn, a temperamental restaurant manager, may be about to be fired. Finn’s assistant is Giulia, a lovely young Italian who prays for a husband. Olympia, a clumsy bakery clerk, has an ornery father; Karen, a hairdresser, has a mother who is very ill. The paths of these six characters cross at church, in the restaurant, at the hotel, and at an Italian class at the local adult school. Loneliness, grief, solace, romance, and love may meet ‘nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita.’
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t say anything goofy or funny about Italian for Beginners, but it does mention that the film is part of the Dogme 95 movement, which aimed to create films with a focus on story and character, using natural lighting and handheld cameras.
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