RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Everybody Wants to Be Italian
Everybody Wants to Be Italian

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
  • Bookmark and Share

Everybody Wants to Be Italian (2008)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
10 %
Tomatometer

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted: 21

Fresh: 2

Rotten:19

Average Rating: 3.5/10

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for some sexual references.

Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:Sep 5, 2008 Limited

Box Office: $322,039

Synopsis: Fishmonger Jake Bianski (Jay Jablonski) has a bit of a problem. He's madly in love with his teenage sweetheart, Isabella (Marisa Petroro)--even though they broke up eight years before and she is... Fishmonger Jake Bianski (Jay Jablonski) has a bit of a problem. He's madly in love with his teenage sweetheart, Isabella (Marisa Petroro)--even though they broke up eight years before and she is now married with three kids. But just as he does every year on their "anniversary," he shows up at her doorstep with flowers, and an engagement ring, wearing a new suit, begging her to come back to him. The workers at his fish store in Boston's North End--Steve Bottino (John Kapelos), Gianluca Tempesti (John Enos III), and Aldo "Papa" Tempesti (Richard Libertini)--offer him constant advice, trying to get Jake to give up on Isabella and find a new girl. They fix him up on a blind date with veterinarian Marisa Costa (Cerina Vincent) at an Italian singles night, where both Jake and Marisa pretend to be Italian in order to attract each other. But their first real date is a disaster, with Jake talking nonstop about his girlfriend, as if Isabella is still a part of his life. Nonetheless, Jake and Marisa start becoming friends, but things get complicated when they consider something more--as does Isabella. Writer-director Jason Todd Ipson's second feature film--following 2006's horror film, UNREST, which also starred Jablonski and Petroro--is a heartfelt romantic comedy about love and trust and about grasping life's opportunities. Scream queen Vincent (CABIN FEVER) plays Marisa with an endearing sweetness, while Jablonski manages to make Jake charming despite the character's many serious flaws. But it's Kapelos, Enos III, and the always great Libertini who drive the film as the three very funny wise men--especially Kapelos (THE BREAKFAST CLUB) as Steve, a gruff fish guy studying for his doctorate in psychology with an opinion on just about everything. [More]

Starring: Jay Jablonski, Cerina Vincent, John Kapelos, John Enos

Starring: Jay Jablonski, Cerina Vincent, John Kapelos, John Enos, Richard Libertini, Marisa Petroro, Penny Marshall, Dan Cortese, Perry Anzilotti, Anthony Russell

Director: Jason Todd Ipson

Director: Jason Todd Ipson
Screenwriter: Jason Todd Ipson
Producer: Jaime Burke, James Huntsman
Composer: Michael Cohen
Studio: Asgaard Entertainment

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
1 of 1

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Feb 3, 2009

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Everybody Wants to Be Italian

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

While not being entirely original or clever in its exploration of modern Italian culture, it's a light-hearted film which delivers just enough giggles to keep it upbeat and kind of cute.

Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia) | comment Comment
07/03/09
Marina Pliatsikas
FILMINK (Australia)

It's all a bit offbeat and as a consequence we are more than ready to chuckle and open up our hearts

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
06/27/09
Louise Keller
Urban Cinefile

Instead of making a likeable main character, the filmmakers give us the egotistical, brash, rude and obnoxious character of Jake.

Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | comment Comment
04/18/09
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures

This lame-brain romantic comedy strives hard for a shambling charm, but is unlikely to prove appealing to even the most undemanding of audiences.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
09/08/08
Frank Scheck
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A dreadful romantic comedy with totally unappealing characters.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
09/06/08
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

If you thought the ethnic stereotyping in My Big Fat Greek Wedding was bad, this charmless romantic comedy will drive you to despair.

Full Review Source: Salt Lake Tribune | comment Comment
09/05/08
Sean Means
Salt Lake Tribune

[Sets] up hackneyed relationships, conflicts and resolutions with such a lack of imagination and subtlety that paying attention to narrative particulars quickly becomes a waste of time.

Full Review Source: Cinematical | comment Comment
09/05/08
Nick Schager
Cinematical

The film is a reminder why romantic comedies have died off so much in recent years.

Full Review Source: Paste Magazine | comment Comment
09/05/08
Sean Gandert
Paste Magazine

A box of cannoli long past its sell-by date.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
09/05/08
Justin Chang
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Writer-director Jason Todd Ipson's romantic comedy is so awash in tired ethnic clichés that the story drowns.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
09/05/08
Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Full of clunky humor, battle-of-the-sexes musings and spicy accordion music, Everybody Wants to Be Italian is relentless -- but not necessarily relentless fun.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Inquirer | comment Comment
09/05/08
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Constructed out of tired jokes, vaguely familiar actors and a few forced and predictable situations, it's strictly a harmless place-filler.

Full Review Source: Newark Star-Ledger | comment Comment
09/05/08
Stephen Whitty
Newark Star-Ledger
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The film plays out pretty much exactly as you would expect -- which won't bother some people one iota.

Full Review Source: New York Post | comment Comment
09/05/08
Lou Lumenick
New York Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

With a title like this, shouldn't Jason Todd Ipson's comedy celebrate Italian culture? Instead, it aggressively insults the heritage it pretends to admire.

Full Review Source: New York Daily News | comment Comment
09/05/08
Elizabeth Weitzman
New York Daily News
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

How atrocious is the comedy Everybody Wants to Be Italian? Let me count the ways.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
09/05/08
Jeannette Catsoulis
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's pretty obvious. Everybody Wants to Be Italian wants to be the next My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Unfortunately, it doesn't have nearly as much charm as the 2002 sleeper. In fact, Italian doesn't have much charm to it at all.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
09/04/08
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Beantown provides a salty backdrop, but when the action shifts to Italy, it seems the budget didn’t include airfares.

Full Review Source: Time Out New York | comment Comment
09/04/08
Anna King
Time Out New York

Romantic comedies don't always have the strongest concepts, but Everybody Wants to Be Italian begins with what barely qualifies as an idea.

Full Review Source: Newsday | comment Comment
09/04/08
Rafer Guzman
Newsday
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Maybe if Everybody Wants To Be Italian were even intermittently funny, the stereotypes wouldn’t matter.

Full Review Source: New York Press | comment Comment
09/03/08
Mark Peikert
New York Press

If Italians had their own term for 'schmaltzy', this awful, derivative and painfully cringeworthy piece of steaming crap would be the most loathsome example of such an adjective.

Full Review Source: ComingSoon.net | comment 1 Comment
09/02/08
Edward Douglas
ComingSoon.net
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
all

Latest News for Everybody Wants to Be Italian

September 04, 2008: Box Office Guru Preview: Cage Offers One Night in Bangkok
Multiplexes will be filled this weekend...with tumbleweeds. The frame after the Labor Day holiday is often the worst-performing session of the whole year at the box office and... More...

July 27, 2008: Trailer & Poster review. Opens in new window
More...

See More Topics...

Related Forums for Everybody Wants to Be Italian

Click here to be the first to post a message on this forum.

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
—
The Code
23%
23%
Confessions of a Shopa…
39%
39%
Inkheart
80%
80%
Gran Torino
28%
28%
Tyler Perry's Madea Go…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
84%
84%
Two Lovers
28%
28%
12 Rounds
04%
04%
Street Fighter: The Le…
23%
23%
Jonas Brothers - The C…

More New Releases…

RT On Current TV

What’s Hot On RT

Exclusive Concept Art

Exclusive Concept Art

Images from Blood: The Last Vampire and more

50 States, 50 Movies

50 States, 50 Movies

This July 4th, take a cinematic road trip!

Johnny Depp's Best Movies

Johnny Depp's Best...

The finest work from Public Enemies' star.

Fred Durst's Faves

Fred Durst's Faves

The singer/director talks movies and more.

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
86
  • Brandon Routh Talks Superman's Future Source: Moviehole
89
  • Sony's Amy Pascal Explains Moneyball Balk Source: Los Angeles Times
6
  • Three Theaters Getting Harry Potter in IMAX Opening Day Source: Collider.com
18
  • Weekly Ketchup: Adam Sandler joins The Zookeeper, David Fincher joins Facebook
72
  • Zak Penn Talks The Avengers Source: Sci Fi Wire
20
  • Watchmen Director's Cut Headed to Theaters Source: Collider.com
32
  • Lorenzo di Bonaventura Talks G.I. Joe, Beverly Hills Cop 4, More Source: Collider.com
14
  • (Teaser) Trailer Bulletin: The Last Airbender Source: MTV
61
  • Johnny Depp Talks Alice, Pirates 4, Dark Shadows Source: Collider.com
12
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Critics Consensus: Solid Public Enemies Doesn't Quite Bring The Noise
104
  • Five Favorite Films with Fred Durst
87
  • Total Recall: Johnny Depp's Best Movies
85
  • RoboGeisha: 2009's Most Insane Trailer?
79
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
43
  • RT on DVD: Street Fighter, Transmorphers 2, and Uwe Boll's Tunnel Rats!
36
  • Academy Invites Tyler Perry, Michael Cera, Seth Rogen to Join Oscar Ranks
28
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Transformers and Ice Age Tie for Top Spot
24
  • Box Office Guru Preview: Dinosaurs and Gangsters Spark Fireworks
23
  • Karl Malden: 1912-2009
17
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • RT Interview: Director Carlos Cuaron on Rudo and Cursi
0
  • RT Interview: Tony Scott on The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
10
  • Cannes 2009: RT Interview - Sally Hawkins on We Want Sex
2
  • RT Interview: Tilda Swinton on Julia
5
  • Hollywood Legend Debbie Reynolds Reflects On her Life in Showbiz
10
  • Exclusive: McG Talks Terminator Salvation
24
  • Georgia Groome - Fresh Talent on RT
5
  • RT Interview: Reading The Reader with Stephen Daldry
11
  • RT Interview: Oscar Nominee Melissa Leo
7
  • Carey Mulligan - Fresh Talent on RT
7
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Everybody Wants to Be Italian at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Everybody Wants to Be Italian at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
Appreciating Michael Jackson
Appreciating Michael Jackson External Link

TIME music critic Josh Tyrangiel remembers - and appreciates - the high peak of Michael Jackson's career in the early '80s.

10 Best Picture Noms?
10 Best Picture Noms? External Link

With the Best Picture Oscar noms now 10 deep, BuzzSugar looks at 10 films that should have made the cut.

Successful Sci-Fi Sequels
Successful Sci-Fi Sequels External Link

Sequels never used to be as good as the original, but now they can be even better. Can Transformers 2 follow suit?

Films That Time Forgot
Films That Time Forgot External Link

The AV Club's Zack Handlen explores why Snowbeast has been dismissed and forgotten.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.