Wells loads a cliched plot on Mayes' lighter-than-air memoir.
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09/25/03
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Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
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Reviews Counted:141
Fresh:87
Rotten:54
Average Rating:6.2/10
Consensus: Though formulaic and superficial, Under the Tuscan Sun is redeemed by Lane's vibrant performance.
Theatrical Release:Sep 26, 2003 Wide
Box Office: $43,452,354
Synopsis: Who hasn't dreamed at least once of running off to a foreign country and starting a new life? That's exactly what Frances (Diane Lane) does in UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN, directed by Audrey Wells... [More]
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Reviews for Under the Tuscan Sun
Top CriticIt may have taken two decades for Hollywood to finally fall in love with Lane, but Under the Tuscan Sun proves it was better late than never.
09/25/03
A girl's dream.
09/25/03
Movie and book both are delightful, but very, very different.
09/25/03
Top CriticWhat Lane makes you do is wonder why she hasn't been making more movies over the years.
09/25/03
Top CriticThis beautifully crafted film is about saying yes -- and continuing to say yes -- to new experiences, despite the chances for failure.
09/25/03
Top CriticLane does a superb job. Kudos also go to director Wells for delivering a delightful, clever script.
09/25/03
If the screen version of Under the Tuscan Sun doesn't make your mouth water or inspire you to price out flights to Italy, what's the point?
09/25/03
Top CriticReal issues come up along the way ... but in these Wells proves a mere dabbler, speeding away weightier ideas, and the dimension they promise, in a wash of lemony vistas, easy episodes and exclusively lovable characters.
09/25/03
The lesson? No matter what you think, you will never be happy without a hunk.
09/25/03
A pretty postcard picture that exists in a fantasy realm reserved for hopeless romantics and Oprah’s Book Club subscribers.
09/25/03
There’s really nothing new “Under The Tuscan Sun.”
09/25/03
Every other character, including the house and the country it's built on, is a sidekick to Frances and her triumphant heroism on the road back to self-fulfillment.
09/24/03
Top CriticPart travelogue and part Lifetime liberated-woman-of-the-week movie...little more than a standard-issue (and standard-tissue) women's picture.
09/24/03
If you're looking for pretty, postcard-like settings, this movie offers plenty of them. If the narrative is more of a concern, you may find this film lacking.
09/24/03
Top CriticIn bombarding Frances with endless coincidences, Wells sweetly celebrates the mysteries of life and those little forks in the road that so many of us ignore or take for granted.
09/23/03
A Harlequin novel of a movie, lent a pinch of unfabricated charisma by the long-underappreciated Diane Lane.
09/23/03
Audrey Wells gives us a pleasant change of scenery with enjoyable companions and no unexpected surprises -- just what we want in a good vacation.
09/23/03
Wells' true gift as a writer and a director is her uncanny ability to be warm without toppling over into the warm and fuzzy, and that's a rare gift.
09/23/03
The heroine has become a lonely divorcee, resulting in an unexpectedly added depth to the story. It's surprisingly satisfying, recommended for anyone who's ever wondered if there really are second chances.
09/22/03
Latest News for Under the Tuscan Sun
July 28, 2005:
RT Critical Consensus: "Sky High" Soars, "Stealth" Crashes, and Diane Lane and John Cusack Go Dateless
The willing suspension of disbelief is often essential to the moviegoing experience. This week's wide releases provide no such relief. We will be asked to believe that a fighter... More...
March 11, 2005:
Audrey Wells to do Some Rearranging Over at Touchstone
More...
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