MAFIA MAMMA – Review

Hmmm, now this is a strange bit of film release synergy. Now the big studio-wide release this weekend is RENFIELD which can be called a horror/comedy hybrid (though it’s also an action thriller satire). The other small studio (an “indy”, to be sure) flick also blends comedy with another very popular genre, crime. To be more specific it’s a crime-family comedy, hence the use of that “reviled” (to some) word. Oh, and there’s a “gender-switch” as a woman takes the seat at the head of the table for the “sit-down”. Hey, if there can be a godfather, then why not a MAFIA MAMMA?

The story kicks into high gear “across the pond” in the “old country”, Italy, soon after a gun battle that produces lots of casualties for both warring factions. This prompts a long-distance phone call from the Balbano family “advisor” Bianca (Monica Bellucci) to a relative in the States, harried working mom Kristin (Toni Collette). This contributes to her stress-filled week. The male execs are hostile to her marketing ideas, she’s sending her only son off to college, and she catches her “man-child” rock star wannabe hubby Paul (Tim Daish) with a really enthusiastic “fan”. Bianca is insistent that Kristin hops on a plane to attend her grandfather’s funeral. After a bit of nudging from her lawyer pal Jenny (Sophis Nomvete), Kristin is in Italy enjoying a “meet cute” with hunky Lorenzo (Giulio Corso). It’s cut short when her new “bodyguards” rush her to the church for the memorial. And then the coffin’s processional is attacked by a hit squad from the rival Romano family. Luckily Kristin’s crew makes it back to the family villa where Bianca insists that Kristin meet with the Romano “head”, since the late elder Balbano, via a DVD will, has given his title to his only granddaughter, much to the ire of hotheaded cousin Fabrizio (Eduardo Scarpetta), who wants to run the “family business”. Kristin wants none of this, but the sooner she can broker peace, the sooner she can get with Lorenzo. This leads to a couple of attempts on her life as this unexpected “getaway” turns into a gang war that may just spill over into the States and threaten her boy. Maybe with Bianca’s consul, Kristin can bring honor to her tarnished legacy.

Over the last few decades, Toni Collette has firmly established herself as one of the most accomplished character actors in film. She commands the screen in drama and horror, but she’s had little chance to headline a comedy. The role of Kristen provides that with a great deal of slapstick and screwball. Unfortunately, she can’t make the poorly written script’s heroine work as she flits about like a frenzied teen in much of the first hour, popping her eyes wildly and gesturing frantically and sounding like a manic “figgerygibbit”. Kristin is more of a comedy construct than a believable mature career woman as she spews out the wrong thing in every setting, funerals, gunbattles, dates, wherever. As a grounded counterpart, Bellucci exudes a sultry earthy sexiness recalling Sophia and Gina, though she only pops in to put Kristin on the right track. Nomvete is the sassy rom-com stereotype there to push Kristin to “Go, gurlfriend!!”, and brings some needed energy. Daish is the dim hubby dragging Kristin down making it easier for her to “hook up” with Corso amongst others. And Scarpetta struts and swaggers as the always aggressive Fabrizio, who just loves to scream in his enemy’s faces during the showdowns.

Wow, this is a long way from the “sparkly” teen vamps of TWILIGHT. Yes, it’s the same Catherine Hardwicke, who’s trying her hand at screwball saucy comedy. And due to the lackluster, meandering script, it’s a “swing and a miss”. Mind you, it’s not that the “genre mash-up” doesn’t work. Way back in 1935 Edward G Robinson had some fun with his gangster persona in A SLIGHT CASE OF MURDER. And in the post-GODFATHER (Kristin’s never watched it…hilarious) it’s worked with MARRIED TO THE MOB and the ANALYZE flicks, but this strained farce isn’t even up to the level of 1998’s MAFIA! (from part of the ZAZ team). The story never seems to follow through on anything, as it tosses out different motivations and agendas. It veers into the area of a “woman’s awakening” as the put-upon Kristin finds her “calling” in the vineyard (yes, she stomps grapes ala Lucy) and then funnels low-cost meds for seniors (really). And though much of the shootouts are bloodless (lots of grazing), there’s a very graphic set piece where Kristin is threatened with sexual assaults before a Tarantino-esque gorefest with lots of eye trauma (and do we need to see a barfed-on cell phone). Plus there is a suggested blossoming romance between the female leads that is tossed aside (perhaps that’s why all the men, aside from Kristin’s son, are dullards or braying bullies). Maybe it’s just a way to reveal Bianca’s silly secret to be exploited in the big last act face-off. Sure, the locations are gorgeous, and the food looks delicious, but it doesn’t soften the sound of the jokes falling flat on those ancient cobblestones. Collette and Bellucci are deserving of a much better screen pairing. With apologies to Abba, MAFIA MAMMA, oh mamma mia! Or as the characters respond to an enemy’s name in unison in a lousy running (literal) gag: ptewy!!

One Half Out of Four

MAFIA MAMMA is now playing in select theatres