All the sweetness of Cinema Paradiso has disappeared in Italian director Guiseppe Tornatore's latest effort. In 1953, Sicily, con artist Joe Morelli (Sergio Castellitto) travels from town to town posing as a Universal Studios talent scout. He convinces people to pay him for fake screen tests, and doesn't think twice about his dishonesty. When he meets the stunning Beata (Tiziana Lodato), though, Morelli finds a soft spot in his heart. While Tornatore captures a darker world of exploitation, his sense of humor keeps the film from sinking in the muck. At the same time, the director doesn't let his leading man get away without paying a steep price. Tragic and heart-rending, this is another real accomplishment for Tornatore. Recommended. (L. Russo)
The Star Maker
(Miramax, 106 min., in Italian w/English subtitles, R, avail. Oct. 15) Vol. 11, Issue 5
The Star Maker
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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