The Reel Review
A down-on-her-luck, unemployed New Yorker impulsively decides to give herself a vacation by breaking into a new acquaintance’s empty villa in Tuscany, where a miscommunication with his estranged family leads them to think she is his new fiancée. Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page star in this romantic comedy.
Not only is the story contrived, but it actually is a bit cringey – our protogonist, after all, is a grifter – but the gorgeous visuals of Italian cuisine and the Tuscan countryside from director Kat Coiro (Marry Me), combined with a solid ensemble cast that includes a terrific Paolo Sassanelli and Stefania Cassini as the delightful father and nonna, makes this silly film much more charming than it should have been.
Bailey and Page have great onscreen chemistry, even though some of the ridiculous situations are unbelievably corny. And while it doesn’t break any new ground in the rom-com genre, You, Me & Tuscany is a fun, mindless feel-good movie that quickly passes the time.
REEL FACTS
• You, Me & Tuscany screenwriters Ryan and Kristin Engle are also husband and wife. Ryan’s screenwriting credits include 2022’s Beast, 2018’s Rampage and 2014’s Non-Stop. This is Kristin’s first screenplay.
• With a budget of $18 million, You, Me & Tuscany grossed a little over $22 million at the box office.
• You, Me & Tuscany was filmed in the town of Pienza in Tuscany and along Italy’s Amalfi Coast.
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