Buscando a Alibrandi

I saw "Looking for Alibrandi" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Down Under Film Fest.

We so rarely get to see glimpses of Australia's ethnic immigrant communities. With shades of "Household Saints" and "Moonstruck" here's a coming-of-age movie set in Sydney's Little Italy.

The pluses and minuses of being a high school senior in a close-knit family and community are warmly and hilariously portrayed visually. (How do they keep their young 'uns at school and work when the beach laps practically onto the city streets?)

Co-star Anthony LaPaglia (as a very non-stereotypical Italian father), who did a "Q & A" after the movie, felt the Italian community portrayal accurately reflected his experiences growing up in Adelaide.

Faithfully based on a popular "Young Adult" novel (with a few plot changes), its lack of clichés about family and dating was refreshing -- the just out of reach Golden Boy is tormented by his own demons; the seductive Bad Boy is no lout, but captain of the opposing school's debate team with his own vulnerability issues.

The "curse" on the women in the family is quite touching and realistic, without simple Hollywood solutions.

While the Ozzies in the audience caught more of the jokes faster as the slang and native references kept the Americans dependent on context, do watch out to see this delightful movie where ever you can.

(originally written 10/7/2001)

the book the film was based on, by Melina Marchetta, is the 'most stolen book' in Australian school libraries, and not without reason. the book can be related to by all teenagers, and not only those living in Australia but internationally as well. the movie is one of the better book-to-screen adaptions in a long while. it manages to convey the emotions and ideas that the book is about, and does this in a way that can be empathised with. brilliant acting all round, especially from the very well cast Anthony Lapaglia. a great film to watch on many levels.

"Looking for Alibrandi" could be labeled as a teen-comedy, but the truth is that genre is rather connected with dumb cheerleaders and quarterbacks full of testosterone, so it would be quite unfair to put "LFA" into that bag, for this is a more serious movie, the characters are not complete idiots and the story deals with matters such as the pressure that parents put on their children when it's time for them to choose a career, or the immigration issue (the main characters are Italian that live in Australia).

In short: it's a kind movie that's been well filmed and with much more quality than the most of the sickly sweet Hollywood products such as "Never been kissed" and stuff.

*My rate: 6/10

This was an amazing movie, correctly portraying what goes through the mind of a teenage girl. It also deals with issues that many teens have to deal with such as death and dealing with your parents and relationships with boys etc. This movie was a great light-hearted film that should win an award just for the fact that the thoughts that went through Josie's head were just what go through say my 16 year old head! if you haven't seen this movie you MUST!

I don't usually like "love stories" but having read the book and having enjoyed the book, I went along to this movie. Being an Aussie movie was also a highlight for me because I am used to trashy American sop stories. I knew this movie was good because even the meanest movie reveiwers enjoyed it. I came out of it and felt like jumping with joy because FINALLY some movie makers had made a realistic "love tale"!

The fact that the movie also deals with racism, and all those other "isms" (ageism, sexism and so on) raised it up a notch for me. It was THE best Aussie movie I saw that year and probably even just the best movie.

I don't know if everyone would enjoy it, but I think most people would get something out of it.