Ginostra (2002)

An FBI Agent from America and his bride and young child travel to the Sicilian island of Ginostra to solve the murder of a key witness.

Director:

Manuel Pradal

Writer:

Manuel Pradal

Stars:

Harvey Keitel, Andie MacDowell, Francesca Neri

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Harvey Keitel	...	Matt Benson
Andie MacDowell	...	Jessie
Francesca Neri	...	Elena Gigli
Stefano Dionisi	...	Giovanni Gigli
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Del Piero
Mattia De Martino	...	Ettore Greco (as Mattia do Martino)
Asia Argento	...	The nun
Luigi Maria Burruano	...	Ettore's uncle
Angela Goodwin	...	Mother Superior
Veronica Lazar	...	Suzanna Del Piero
Maurizio Nicolosi	...	Manzella
Tony Palazzo	...	Stefano Greco
Mia Benedetta	...	Elena's Aunt
Mirella Mezzeranghi	...	Paola
Danielle Marie Valenti	...	Tina

Storyline

Matt Benson, an FBI investigator, has been posted to the island of Panarea in the Lipari archipelago within the framework of an agreement between the USA and Italy. He has been allocated a comfortable, well-protected house with vast grounds and a private cove facing the Ginostra volcano. This delights his wife Jessie and their 5-year-old daughter Tina. A few days after they arrive, a 11-year-old boy, Ettore Greco, a Mafia victim, is questioned by Matt about the death of his whole family in a car bombing. For security reasons, Matt decides to bring Ettore to the house where he is living. This artificial adoption gradually reveals the tragic secret binding Matt to the child, a secret Jessie knows nothing about. From secrets to lies, the atmosphere in the villa slowly leads the Benson family to the gates of hell. Outside is the danger, inside is the fear. In between is an orphan child...

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Plot Keywords:

island | fbi | italy | murder | mafia | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexuality/nudity and brief violence

Details

Country:

France Italy USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

29 January 2003 (France)

Also Known As:

El misterio de Ginostra

Company Credits

Production Co:

Emotion Pictures, France 2 Cinéma, StudioCanal

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min 135 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

User Reviews

Slow-witted, slow-paced slow-called thriller

Dramas over two hours in length generally fall into two camps - they either have an epic story to tell, full of deep characterisations, complex plots and stunning backdrops, or they stink. Ginostra falls with aplomb into the latter category.

Never has so little happened of such little note in such a long time. If this were not bad enough, never have actors of the calibre of Harvey Keitel and Andie MacDowell delivered such clunky dialogue with such haste and apparent lack of skillful direction or editing.

The likes of Osment and Radcliffe have little to worry about from Mattia De Martino, who plays the son of a chef to the mob who is his immediate family's sole survivor following a car bombing. Keitel is the FBI agent on the case and he and his wife MacDowell base themselves near the island of Ginostra, the site of the bombing, while he tries to pump the child for information.

There is some innuendo between Keitel and Francesca Neri, who plays the wife of the local officer chasing the mob, who in turn appears to fancy MacDowell. Nothing actually materialises, which is the film's major problem

• it's quite miserable and very dull. Misery is not necessarily a bad

thing in itself, but with nothing else to grab hold of, it's all a bit much.