Mambo Italiano Details

VERY Funny

Don't let the gay subject matter put you off - this isn't a gay film full of in-joke about being gay as much as it is about Italian families.

Nearly every line has a punch, and Paul Sorvino is excellent as the Italian macho man trying to come to terms with his sons outing.

Good supporting cast, and an ending that doesn't feel obliged to give you what you expect - this is good Saturday night entertainment - especially if you know any 'Italiano's'.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Fairly predictable but enjoyable enough

At first I didn’t enjoy this film at all: the camply overdramatised style, delivery and design were all off-putting, the blend with realism seemed at times clumsy and jarring. And in many ways it says nothing new: sad teenage gay misfit finds, loses, finds again the gorgeous neighbourhood mate of his dreams and loses him again; hyperconventional family setting, could just as easily be Jewish or Indian as Italian; out gay vs. closeted gay; etc.

But the context is different, Italian Canadians in Montreal – that’s certainly new. And the film has its charms – it’s not great, but it’s enjoyable enough and the few twists vary from predictable to quite clever. As other reviewers have said, a good film for a weekend afternoon.