Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageEugenio (2003)
Director: Francisco Josè Fernandez
Movie review
From Time Out London
Released to some acclaim in Italy in 2002, this sentimental drama finally arrives on these shores to serve a season of Italian films at the Riverside Studios and does nothing to reverse the current negative view of Italian cinema. Eugenio (Giancarlo Giannini) is a middle-aged man with Down’s syndrome whose self-sufficiency amazes his friends and family. Not only does he cook for himself and keep a clean house, but he even volunteers at a local hospital! What a hero! And disabled too! Surprise, surprise: it’s Eugenio who has something to teach us all about life… Eugenio strikes up a friendship with a mute young woman, Laura (Chiara de Bonis), who is recovering from a serious car accident and who, thanks to various script convolutions, finally allows Eugenio to reconnect with a love from his childhood. Copious flashbacks and whimsical music drive along this soppy affair, and Giannini roots his performance in a demented Cheshire grin through which you expect him to mouth the words ‘Give me a gong’ (and, lo, the Italians did just that). For chronic melancholics and serial Kleenex-abusers only.Author: DC
Time Out London Issue 1825: August 10-17, 2005
Cast & crew
Director: Francisco Josè Fernandez
Producer: Giovanni Schettini
Cast: Giancarlo Giannini, Giuliana De Sio, Arnoldo Foà, Jacques Perrin, Riccardo Garrone full cast
Rated: 15
Duration: 90 mins
UK Release: Aug 12 2005
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Our verdict on Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson ends a triumphant decade with a sentimental misfire with this lush Alice Sebold adaptation
On the set of Ken Loach's 'Route Irish'
Dave Calhoun meets Ken Loach on the set of his forthcoming Iraq war movie
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
London Children's Film Festival
Read our exclusive reviews of films playing at the 2009 London Children’s Film Festival
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now