The Mafia Kills Only in Summer

Imagine ‘Gomorrah’ remade as a Ben Stiller romcom and you’ll have a rough idea of this Sicilian satire. It starts out as a coming-of-age tale, as schoolboy Arturo (Alex Bisconti) learns how to talk to girls but never to talk about Mafia activity in his home town of Palermo. We then flash forward to meet Arturo as an adult (played by writer-director Pierfrancesco Dilberto, known to Italian comedy fans as Pif), still pursuing the object of his childhood affections (Cristiana Capotondi) and still steering clear of gangland affiliations.

You can’t fault Dilberto’s commitment. He gives this light comedy a serious heart, paying passing tribute to many of the real-life figures who have been fighting corruption in Sicily since the 1970s. As a performer, he’s less convincing. This is one of those romances where the woman only exists to be a figure of worship for a nerdy, socially awkward young man, whose side we’re meant to take unquestioningly. Sorry, Pif, but you’ll need to try a bit harder.