Manuale d'amore (2005)

Another one of those surprising little masterpieces that one sees accidentally; a movie that you know little about but once seen leaves you with warmth and satisfaction having been taken on a journey we all know.

Diane and I loved the film and left the theater with smiles on our faces and happy satisfaction animating our post-movie conversation. Maybe this pleasantness was a result of the writer's/director's choice of vignettes that ended the movie-it was the happiest, most satisfying of the four stories that composed the film.

The script was subtly formed so that the stories have a soft connection between them and the final story felt the most satisfying to me. These four faces of love are examined softly-no major drama here-just a quiet look at the most obvious faces that present to us of this feeling called love.

It is easy to see why this film won 11 Italian Oscars because the acting is acting at the point where the viewer is unaware that the people are acting the story. These theme variations are so well crafted that the viewer is left feeling that he/she is an emotional voyeur in that they are present during these stages of love.

Do make an effort to see the film-it is worth your time and effort to do so.