Puccini for Beginners

Puccini for Beginners *1/2

Directed by Maria Maggenti
Written by Maria Maggenti

Starring:
Justin Kirk as Philip
Gretchen Mol as Grace
Elizabeth Reaser as Allegra
Julianne Nicolson as Samantha
Tina Benko as Nell

82 Minutes(This Film Is Not Rated-Sexual References)
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"Puccini for Beginners" is a wanna-be farce and at the same time tries to be philosophical. It doesn't exactly work, and this is one of the most cautious and predictable stories I've seen in a long while. It's just another case of the three main characters, all happy and in their worlds, not knowing that they are all connected in more ways than one. And it tries to be cute with some interludes relating to Freud and opera, but it isn't cute, it's torture. Perhaps one problem is getting Justin Kirk to be in it. After "Flannel Pajamas," I thought it was impossible for him to overact as much as that, but he proved me wrong. Luckily the three leading ladies save face for Kirk's standard horrible performance with some wit, beauty, and actual class.

"Puccini for Beginners" begins with the ending of a relationship. The relationship between Allegra and Samantha-Allegra doesn't see a problem, but Samantha continues to tell herself that she just isn't a lesbian, and decides to go back to her old boyfriend. Allegra is confused-she wants to be in a relationship, and in the solace of her best friends she goes to a party where she meets Philip. She is attracted to him, but at the same time a little confused about it. She sleeps with him one afternoon, knowing that he has a girlfriend, and thinking that she will never see him again. But she is wrong. . . he becomes obsessed, and the two of them start dating. And then she meets Grace at a movie theatre(the Cinema Village in Manhattan over here) and Grace has just gotten out of a bad relationship. Grace experiments with Allegra, and finds herself immunised in some kind of love for her. So Allegra dates the two of them, behind each others back, and then finds out shortly after that the two of them broke up with each other so that they could be with her. Comedy(supposedly) follows.

I actually wish that they didn't advertise the fact that Grace and Philip used to date each other in the advertisements and trailers. They even reveal it in the first fifteen minutes, getting rid of any surprise that could have made the movie a little more intense. "Puccini for Beginners" is just trying too hard-it is trying to hard to be pleasant little indie comedy, and ends up becoming a standard romantic comedy in disguise as a farce. We don't get many farces nowadays, and this isn't a great welcome back to the genre. It's obvious how it'll end-and I know the saying is "It's not the destination that matters, but the journey." In the case of this film, the journey isn't anything to write home about either. Elizabeth Reaser shows that she can carry a leading lady part, and Gretchen Mol is as delightful and cute as always, but they aren't in the right vehicle. "Puccini for Beginners" does attempt to be a cute little indie romance flick, but it is just stale. There is not life in this picture at all, and it certainly isn't enjoyable. I know this film like I know the back of my hand. . .