Under the Tuscan Sun

This patronizing, eye-rolling romantic fantasy aimed at lonely middle-aged women--based on the bestselling memoir by Frances Mayes--stars the luminous Diane Lane (its only saving grace) as a heartbroken novelist licking her wounds from a surprise divorce (the husband she put through school has left her for a younger woman) by buying a picturesquely rundown old villa in the Italian countryside to renovate as a life-affirming metaphor. Surrounded by colorful eccentrics with sexy accents who serve up allegorical fables and Hallmark-card advice ("always keep your childish innocence!"), Lane frets "there's three bedrooms--what if there's never anyone to sleep in them?" Of course, we know there's a strapping, wavy-haired hunk with piercing eyes (Raoul Bova, as it turns out) waiting for her on a beach somewhere who appreciates the charms of 40-ish American women seeking validation of their desirability. And we know that while, for the sake of dramatic structure, he may not be the right guy for her (those philandering Italians!), she's learning to live by the motto "I looked for it but I didn't find it. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist!" Well, until the pandering happenstance of last reel salvation, anyway. Not recommended. [Note: Available in widescreen or full screen versions, DVD extras include audio commentary by screenwriter/director Audrey Wells, the nine-minute making-of featurette “Tuscany 101,” three deleted scenes (2 min.) including a “Clapper Montage,” and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a disappointing film.] (R. Blackwelder)[Blu-ray Review—July 17, 2012—Buena Vista, 113 min., PG-13, $19.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2003's Under the Tuscan Sun is presented with a great transfer and features a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Extras are identical to the DVD release, including audio commentary by director Audrey Wells, a “Tuscany 101” making-of featurette (9 min.), deleted scenes including a “Clapper Montage” (2 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: although it looks nicer, this rom-com still disappoints in a narrative sense on Blu-ray.]