Concorrenza sleale

I went to see this because I absolutely loved Una giornata particolare (starring among others Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, Ettore Scola's other movie about the enforcement of racial laws in Italy in 1938. Concorrenza SLeale is not as good, showing some great points but somehow lacking "a glue" that keeps it all together; maybe the movie should have concentrated a little bit less on the daily life of the two families, although this is probably the only way to tell such a story. all the actors are great, the kids, the elderly, Castellitto and Abatantuono and (of course) Depardieu, with a special mention for Sabrina Impacciatore (the shop assistant) and Emanuele Salce as the weird guy hired by Abatantuono. still on the good points, the historical reconstruction is great: a street with *real* homes was built in cinecitta', and all the props are from the right period, from ad posters to a technical drawing-table; unfortunately this does not apply to the dialogues, which are a little bit too informal, even inside a family, for 1938 Italy.

All in all, one to see, but first enjoy "Una giornata particolare", you won't regret it.