FILM REVIEW
SOLO MIO
Rated PG
100 Minutes
Released February 6th
Solo Mio was a pleasant surprise. I didn’t know anything about it going in, and it turned out to be a joyful experience, a very well-written story about quirky, colorful people negotiating language and cultural differences in a foreign land. These characters move gracefully or clumsily, as each case may be, through situations life offers, trying at all costs to preserve love. This film takes place in the beautiful environments of Rome, Siena, and the Tuscan countryside. The location was undoubtedly an incentive in casting the film.
Before you think that a romance set in Italy is repetitive and overdone, give this movie a try. The gorgeous views of the lush hills, the narrow cobblestone streets, and the historic stone architecture beautifully form the backdrops for this classic romantic comedy. The story is not “rocket science” nor is it a psychological chess match. It’s a story of love between unlikely people, with a lot of twists. You will gradually grow to know and like this odd group of people who have converged at an upscale hotel in Rome for a wedding. I can’t divulge the celebrities who show up unexpectedly at crucial moments, as it would ruin the surprise.
Comedian Kevin James stars as “Matt Taylor,” whose bride has left him at the altar at their lavish destination wedding in Rome. James’ last major films were Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009) and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015), and he appears to have shed about 50 pounds since then, allowing him to be a great fit for this “everyman” role of Matt, the lonely groom who is looking to drown his sorrows after being jilted.
James was raised on Long Island in New York. He played football in college and joined a community theatre in the summers. He found he loved getting laughs in comedy roles, so he joined his brother’s improv group and branched out into stand-up comedy, and then on the comedy circuit, he met Ray Romano, who gave him a recurring role on Everybody Loves Raymond. James starred in his own comedy series, The King of Queens, from 1998 to 2007.
The stand-out of this film, who steals all her scenes, is Italian actress Nicole Grimaudo, who stars as “Gia,” Matt’s love interest. Grimaudo is from Sicily and has worked in Italian film and TV since 2007. She starred on the Italian series Medicina Generale from 2007 to 2010, probably the Italian equivalent of General Hospital. Another Italian actress, Caterina Silva, is absolutely hilarious as “Claudia.”
The rest of the wedding guest group, who are “stranded” in Italy, are well cast, although I would like to have seen more from them. They include the wonderful Alyson Hannigan from How I Met Your Mother, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and American Pie. Jonathan Roumie as “Neil,” Kim Coates as “Julian,” and Julie Cerda as “Donna.”
The film was directed by the Kinane Brothers – there are seven of them who work together on films. Normally, I would say that’s too many cooks in the broth. However, they each have their own job, and they have strict “rules.” Chuck is the director, Pat and John are writers, Pete is the editor, Jeff is a producer and writer, Wil is a producer, and Brendan is a writer and music producer. The brothers enjoy each other’s company for real.
According to John, they “get a kick out of each other.” The Kinanes started making movies as kids on their grandparents’ old VHS camcorder, a similar backstory of many successful writers and directors. They started working on Solo Mio during the pandemic. James knew the brothers were inexperienced, but they were determined and creative.
The Kinanes rented an Airbnb near James’ home. He bought them thousands of dollars’ worth of lighting equipment, and for practice, they started making YouTube short comedies starring James as a doofus sound tech called Sound Guy. The Kinanes and James filmed Solo Mio in 2024 over about 20 days on location in Italy.
One of the best aspects of this movie is its constant surprises and unexpected reveals. This is not a work of cinematic art, but it’s a fun story embellished with a lot of laughs, and it has heart.
Kathryn Whitney Boole has spent most of her life in the entertainment industry, which has been the backdrop for remarkable adventures with extraordinary people. She is a Talent Manager with Studio Talent Group in Santa Monica. kboole@gmail.com
