Italian for Beginners
Seen it?2000 | 118 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (88% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it made about 16 times its budget, though it had almost no lasting buzz and a lukewarm 6.4 out of 10 from audiences. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics and anyone who wants a laugh. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Funny with heart, romantic.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 58 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Danish, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Several lonely hearts in a semi-provincial suburb of a town in Denmark use a beginner's course in Italian as the platform to meet the romance of their lives. The film, which unspools the connections and family drama shared between the students, complies with several aesthetic principles of Dogme 95 movement.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
88% on Rotten Tomatoes, 77 on Metacritic
- AudiencesBelow par
6.4 out of 10
- AwardsWeak
0 wins and 3 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$16 million worldwide on a $1 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 14K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Lone Scherfig
- Anders W. BerthelsenAndreas
- Anette StøvelbækOlympia
- Ann Eleonora JørgensenKaren
- Peter GantzlerJørgen Mortensen
- Lars KaalundHal-Finn
- Sara Indrio JensenGiulia
- Karen-Lise MynsterEjendomsmægler
- Rikke WölckSygeplejerske
- Elsebeth SteentoftKvinde i kirke
- Bent MejdingPastor Wredmann