Mid-August Lunch (Pranzo di Ferragosto) Review
By David Kempler
Three Elderly Women, a Man, and Wine
The great character actor, Jerry Orbach, passed in late 2004. Despite a long Broadway career, he is probably best known as Detective Lennie Briscoe from multiple versions of the hit TV series "Law and Order". Now, try and imagine that character (without the cop part of his personality) in an intimate little Italian film, and you will have the best possible visualization of Gianni (Gianni Di Gregorio), the star and director of "Mid-August Lunch".
Gianni lives with his very elderly mother (Valeria De Franciscis) in a multiple-dwelling condominium. He treats her beautifully but the two of them are on the edge of eviction because they have fallen so far behind in their bills. A solution arises when their landlord needs a place for his mother to stay. He tells Gianni that he will make good on all of his debts if Gianni will take the landlord's elderly mother in to his household. What choice does Gianni have?
The next day, Gianni's doctor pays him a house call and requests that his elderly mother be allowed to stay with Gianni for a single day. Gianni cannot turn down the request. The scene is complete. Gianni is now the surrogate son for two more elderly women and the four of them share small quarters, meals and wine.
Nothing extremely horrific or wonderful occurs in this new family unit. They just make the best of it and their lives are all the richer for it - for however long the situation may end up lasting. "Mid-August Lunch" is a respite from intense film, similarly to how August is a respite to Europeans, in general. If you'd like to take a very short vacation, wander into "Mid-August Lunch" and, if you can, smuggle in a nice bottle of vino.
