Puccini for Beginners doesn't quite make it as romantic comedy. Most of the elements are in place, but the characters seem too narcissistic to fall in love and too broad-brush to be authentic.
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03/16/07
Puccini for Beginners (2007)
50
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:60
Fresh:30
Rotten:30
Average Rating:5.7/10
Consensus: A Woody Allen-ish film that needs more of the caustic wit expected from the best New York rom coms.
Theatrical Release:Feb 2, 2007 Limited
Synopsis: Everyone is love-crazed in Maria Maggenti's delightfully quick-witted screwball comedy, Puccini for Beginners; but Allegra Castiglione–our dashing, adorable heroine–is by far the most commitment... [More]
Starring: Elizabeth Reaser, Gretchen Mol, Justin Kirk, Jennifer Dundas
Director: Maria Maggenti
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Reviews for Puccini for Beginners
Fresh Manhattan locations prove as photogenic as the leads, and the supporting actors -- especially Tina Benko as a glacial, impeccably dressed amazon -- don't miss a beat of Maggenti's snappy dialogue.
12/17/07
A number of scenes in the film are charming and engaging, with a genuinely unforced lightheartedness, and that takes more than a little expertise on the part of Ms. Maggenti, as well as her cast and other collaborators.
02/07/07
Top Critic[Director] Maggenti offers a cute variation on the classic Hollywood 'comedy of remarriage.'
02/09/07
Puccini is the joyously refreshing romancer that it tries so hard to be. Its success has a lot to do with its casting directors who have peopled both the major and minor roles with aplomb. Even off-off-Broadway legend Helen Hanft has a cameo.
06/08/07
It's amiable enough but there's nothing on show to make it stand out from the average rom-com.
10/26/07
If you're willing to veer away from your more traditional romantic comedies, this is worth watching.
03/09/07
I felt at times I was watching a melange of 'Scrubs', 'Sex in the City', and the sensational Ethan Hawke/Julie Delpy tandem of 'Before Sunrise' and 'Before Sunset'.
02/13/07
A deliriously funny romantic roundelay.
03/10/06
One of the best lesbian-themed comedies ever made.
02/03/07
Disappoints somewhat but is still worth a look.
02/05/07
A spiffy romantic comedy with an appealing and sparkling performance by Elizabeth Reaser.
02/03/07
A mostly agreeable comedy of the screwball sort, enlivened by some good acting, smart dialogue and an impassioned desire to stretch viewers' notions of lesbian love beyond what they see on Desperate Housewives.
02/09/07
This is billed as a comedy and there are some very funny moments. The writing is crisp and believable.
02/13/07
An engaging romantic quadrangle.
03/02/07
Don't expect anything life-transforming, but simply a gender-bending, screwball sitcom for the more cerebral demographic.
01/30/07
The filmmaker's niftiest trick is in making a group of neurotic, self-involved, overly verbal people so engaging.
02/08/07
Writer-director Maggenti turns in some smart dialogue and keeps things moving swiftly.
02/02/07
Top Critic[Actress] Reaser is no slouch in the emotionally befuddled whirlwind department. In the end, it's all la dolce vita no matter how you look at it.
04/14/07
This film is a charmer: a genuine screwball comedy, set in springtime New York.
01/29/07
Latest News for Puccini for Beginners
February 01, 2007:
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