Jeremy Taylor (Joshua Jackson) is a young writer sent to Tuscany, Italy by the publishing company. His mission is to find Weldon Parish (Harvey Keitel); a seasoned and well-respected writer who hasn’t been writing for some time and to help his writer’s block disappear and get him to write again. But Weldon doesn’t want to write. He has lost his wife sometime ago and he keeps his (writer’s) office under lock. He enjoys the country and the company of his three daughters. So at first he doesn’t take Jeremy’s intrusion well and puts the young man to several weird and amusing (to the audience) tests. But Jeremy’s persistence pays off. Weldon starts letting him hang around. He is also having fun with the fact that Jeremy is falling for his daughter, Isabella (Claire Forlani).
Jeremy and Weldon challenge one another and each wants the other one to write. They both have their reservations and their friendship leads to lovely decisions on both sides.
The film is a romantic drama with some funny events attached. It is set in the ever beautiful Italy. Harvey Keitel is wonderful as always.
Joshua Jackson has grown up and proving that he can take on different roles rather than just teenage rebels. If you are in your 20s, you have probably watched Dawson’s Creek at one point. I did, although I do feel some level of guilty pleasure admitting it. The first seasons had hit home with the characters’ angst and disappointments and expectations. Joshua Jackson played the rebellious and sarcastic Pacey. He came a long way from dating his then co-star Katie Holmes (now Mrs. Tom Cruise). Last time I checked, he was living with his elegant girlfriend Diane Kruger (Troy, National Treasure). Sure, Joshua had to go through all the phases of a popular (and cute) young actor had to go through: teen-slashers (Urban Legend, were-wolf movie Cursed), Scream 2. But thankfully, he got the chance to show versatility. He played in Gossip (2000). It is a very solid thriller and it is definitely not a teen-slasher. He also played in Cruel Intentions (1999); a modern adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons. Now, Cruel Intentions is decent and very appealing with its sexy power plays but Joshua got the most colorful role. He plays the gay best friend of the lead character’s best friend. So yes, it seems like Joshua Jackson is not doomed. He can shake off the “curse” of Dawson’s Creek and move on.
Claire Forlani is a good actress. She is not the best out there but she is lovely and very pretty. I first saw her in Meet Joe Black (co-starring along Brad Pitt). It looks like she is a little doomed: she just fits in with emotional parts. But hey, she does pull off romance well. And in this movie, she just looks at home in Italy. After all, she is half-Italian in real life.
My favorite character in the movie though has to be Father Moretti; played by Giancarlo Giannini. You might remember him as the traditional father from A Walk in The Clouds, giving Keanu Reeves’ Paul hell.
Back to the movie at hand: The scenery is beautiful, and the story is lovely. The movie is a little slow but it is still fun to watch. Just don’t watch it if you are in the mood for something fast.
Favorite scene: The dance scene between Jeremy and Isabella. Written and directed by Brad Mirman (2005).
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