Santocielo

The film "Santocielo" of 2023 presents itself as a Christmas comedy with enticing promises, but unfortunately, it bitterly disappoints the audience's expectations. With a talented cast, including Salvo Ficarra and Valentino Picone, and an intriguing premise involving an angel inadvertently causing a male pregnancy, one might expect a clever and enjoyable comedy. However, the reality is quite different. Firstly, the film suffers from lazy and inconsistent writing. The jokes are predictable and often fall into tired stereotypes, offering nothing new or genuinely amusing. We are faced with a series of forced and unconvincing situations, making it difficult to emotionally engage with the story or the characters. Additionally, the cast, though talented, seems to be wasted in underdeveloped and uninteresting roles. Salvo Ficarra and Valentino Picone, known for their ability to create authentic comedy, fail to shine due to a screenplay that fails to fully utilise their potential. Even the other actors, though competent, appear to struggle with flat and stereotypical characters. Another weakness of the film is its lack of tonal consistency. It oscillates between moments of lightness and sweetness to clumsy attempts to address sensitive issues such as gender equality and homophobia, without ever truly delving into them or offering a meaningful perspective. Thus, we are presented with a comedy that tries to be profound without ever truly immersing itself in the issues it raises. Finally, "Santocielo" suffers from excessive length and a slow pace that makes it difficult to maintain attention throughout the entire film. Scenes drag on without a clear purpose, and many could be cut without harming the plot or character development. "Santocielo" presents itself as a missed opportunity. With lazy writing, underdeveloped characters, and a lack of tonal consistency, the film disappoints audience expectations and never fully captures its comedic and narrative potential.

As usual, Ficarra and Picone shows their ability to tackle deep and complex social problems by making a film that can make you laugh and cry at the same time.

The characters, that for the first time move apart the classic scheme where Ficarra is sarcastic and malicious and Picone simple-minded, are perfectly crafted. Amazing also the nun character, played by an impressive and emotional Maria Chiara Giannetta that deliver a perfect performance.

If you are searching for a just fun and jokes film, you'll be disappointed.

If you are ready for something that entertain and make you think, this is for you.