The first scene of this latest venture from Leonardo Pieraccioni (who directs and stars) bodes well but it goes downhill from there.
Giliberto is a 40-year-old gym teacher in a Tuscan high school. One of his students, 17-year-old Paolina, has a crush on him and hounds him relentlessly, threatening to accuse him of sexual harassment if he doesn't go out with her. Meanwhile. Giliberto has met the woman of his dreams, the stunning vet, Margherita. Complications ensue.
This film is harmless but really quite silly. Why Margherita is in love with Giliberto is not entirely clear (although we are treated to endless close-ups of Margherita playing with animals). Another bewildering point is why Giliberto puts himself in such repeatedly compromising positions with Paolina. Furthermore, the female characterization is weak and one-dimensional, with characters that seem little more than eye-candy.
That said, the fairly sympathetic character of Giliberto himself is nicely developed. The strongest point of the film is probably the touching portrayal of Giliberto's relationship with his stuttering brother Cateno, extremely well played by Giorgio Panariello.
Overall, a harmless way to pass an hour and a half, but you come out feeling like there might have been better ways to spend the time.
