Solino (2002) User Reviews

A human, complex and sweet portrait of an immigrant immigrant family

[runamokprods · 8/10 · 15 April 2014]

Akin deals with two of his favorite themes here; the experience of the immigrant outsider, and food. Both run through his later films, but even here are approached with energy and humanity.

The story of an Italian family that moves to Germany to in the hopes of getting better work, the film spans 20 years. The first act takes place in 1964, as the family makes the move and the 2 brothers who are the children try to adjust. Jump forward 10 years to 1974 and the film moves from sweet light sentiment to something a little darker and more complex, as the brothers are now young adults, pulling away from the family, and grappling with what they want out of life and the tensions caused by their naturally different temperaments.

While not at the level of his later amazing works like "Head-On" and "The Edge of Heaven", this is an entertaining and very human movie that manages to be a portrait of a struggling family, that's neither horribly depressing, or sticky sweet and cute.

It's very frustrating, but there seems to be no officially released DVD with English subtitles.

predictable but not bad

[AT1969 · 6/10 · 26 April 2003]

An interesting movie, because it is a German movie about Italians and the director is Turkish. The performances of the two stars were pretty good and the child actors were also pretty good, but the story was very predictable. Also the Italian characters like the mother and the father acted too much like Italians you see in movies, like caricature. The love story was also a little bit boring and did not result in anything. I liked the ending back in Solino., and I would like to see what Mr. Akin's next movie is.

Great movie at the end of a perfect day

[absalem · 7/10 · 20 November 2002]

Well, this in an outrageous flick. I saw it the other day with my girl friend, and both of us were/are very impressed by this movie. The first half, when they just arrive in Germany is very great told.

The young boys play their roles very good, especially the young gigi. He is great! My eyes were wet all the time, its so much feeling that is transmitted through the silver screen. And the music makes this flick perfect. it always supports the unique scenes. Well, i just have to say, GO FOR IT! By the way, Akin is a great director. 9/10

Despite my assumptions, this is as good as the finest of berries

[Brevity · 2 July 2005]

This hadn't too good a prognosis from me due to certain factors, but I was pleasantly surprised I ended up enjoying the film very much. It's engrossing as anything and very interesting - not only because of the secondary subject matter of film. And yes, it looks sharp.

The cast is good all around. Even the children succeed perfectly in the only thing I expect from them: they aren't irritating. I'd go as far as saying that some of them are, uh, great. The distinctive-faced Vincent Schiavelli draws a nice picture of a film director.

I just found myself searching for Akin's other films. It seems this (the one not scripted by him) is actually the weakest thereof! I look forward to seeing his others, but only for this one I vouch, as of now.

Oh dear. Now I'm finished and haven't even said anything.

Nice and funny, but also a little bit boring

[MichaelJSchulz · 6/10 · 16 November 2002]

This movie tells the story from two brothers, which are born in a poor village in the southern part of Italy. 1964 the father decided to go to Germany to make more money. First, his wife, don't want to go, but as she with her family arrive in Duisburg, Germany, she decided to open a pizzeria, the first of it's kind in Duisburg at this time. Meanwhile the two brothers, who have in Italy already a strong competition, get to know the new hometown. The elder, played by Moritz Bleibtreu, is a little bit of a criminal while the other discovered his interest in making movies. This movie has the same problem as many German movies. It has some good ideas, and sometimes you can really laugh, but the ideas are not sufficient enough to carry the movie over the time. 6/10

Great treatment of an important subject

[meyergleich · 9/10 · 11 November 2002]

I adored this movie. Not only because I am a big fan of Moritz Bleibtreu, although he is in practically all German movies that count. But also because he is NOT the main actor. The lead is taken over by Barnaby Metschurat, who was the only reason to watch 2001's Julietta, and who really carries this movie on his shoulders.

A family moves from Italy to Germany seeking "the German dream" (this is my own invention and ironic...) of cheap labor in steel and coal industries. However, they end up opening a restaurant and the journey the movie takes to this point alone is so poetic and at the same time funny and charming. From this point onward, the story told is mainly that of the two brothers of this family, Giancarlo (Bleibtreu) and Gigi (Metschurat). Gigi's dream to become a filmmaker is threatened by rivalry with his brother and his mother's determination to return to Italy. What follows is a great - and totally neutral - look at what life can become formed by the choices you make.

In the end, this movie doesn't say which life (Gigi's or Giancarlo's) was more successful or fuller or more interesting. It merely gives us a rewarding glimpse at what it must be like to search for identity when two countries and mentalities are involved. and this look is not driven by bitterness or disdain to either country, which makes it such a great film for any and every country dealing with the tensions resulting from immigration. The fact that director Fatih Akin's moved to Germany from Turkey in the 70s also lends this movie a large measure of its credibility and emotional accuracy. The icing on the cake are fantastic performances by the entire cast, especially Metschurat and - this I really need to stress - the little boy who plays young Gigi. That kid's performance would be a hard act to follow by just about anyone! Great movie, go see it.

Great Work

[garfield203 · 9/10 · 23 October 2002]

After Fatih Akins first work "Im Juli", which was fairly good, he created a really gorgeous italian family epic. Its a german movie, which is unfortunately a bad precondition, cause we rareley produce more than moderate movies ;). But this movie makes some very good snapshots of the time then. "Solino" is about a Italian immigrant who arrives in the "Ruhr" region of Germany during the 60s. The immigrant and his family then start the first Pizza restaurant in the region. The characters are excellent drawn. Especially Gigi, the main actor. You live every second, every feeling he does. His brother, played by Moritz Bleibtreu, isnt that good. Well, you just dont believe him the role. But the character is wellbalanced and fits perfectly into this script. I feel an urgent need to compare the style of this movie with the style of "The Godfather". Many people will probably hate this movie, say its boring. Not much tension? - yes, but an outrageous movie. 9 out of 10.

Emotionally involving story

[debbie-160 · 9/10 · 15 May 2005]

Solino really moved me with its deeply drawn characters. While being a simple tale of rivalry between two brothers, it was not simply about hate or jealousy. What I liked most about the movie was how I could identify with the feelings Gigi was going through especially when he had to take his mother back to her home town in Italy and miss out on attending the festival film awards ceremony his film was entered into. To see this character who struggled so hard between his artistic dream and his innate sense of duty to his mother was so frustrating. Even at the end when he makes one more attempt to reach out to his father was so brave. And as in real life, most fathers can never get past their walls to reach out to their children. I could even identify with Giancarlo, the brother, who while being the more self assured and elder brother, had so many insecurities. A really beautiful film that made me laugh and cry.

A film which shows cultural differences and problems

[simonbreuer · 9/10 · 17 September 2005]

This film plays in the 60s and is about an Italian family: Romano, his wife Rosa and their two children Gigi and Giancarlo emigrate from Solino in Italy to Duisburg in the Ruhr area. I like this film, because I think it is quite realistic: it shows problems which many foreign families have when they come to another country: they have to get used to a new culture, a new environment and this can be difficult: especially if you don't know the language.... It is difficult for the family but they find a way: they open a restaurant which offers typical Italian food, and it is named "Solino", like their hometown. The film also shows different conflicts - Gigi and Giancarlo fall in love with the same girl, and although Rosa has to work very hard, Romano refuses to pay money to engage more workers, etc. etc. But stop, I don't want to tell you how it goes on. You should watch the film yourself, it's a nice one - I have also made a Referat about it and examined scenes which show different cultural attitudes. And there are a few...

Not bad, just unimpressive

[Karl Self · 5/10 · 11 June 2010]

Turko-German directing star "Fatih Akin" proffers the tale of a family of Italian immigrants in Germany. "Solino" is the movie that immediately preceded his breakthrough "Gegen die Wand".

A young couple and their two sons move from the Italian village of Solino to Germany, where they are, overall, pretty successful as restauranteurs. But in time divisions become apparent: the father can't handle his success and exploits his wife and sons. The brothers fight over women; when one of them becomes successful as a movie director, the other brother can't handle his own jealousy. When the mother falls deadly ill, the filmmaker gives up his career and moves back with her to Italy, where he finds true love.

The movie is watchable, but overall I couldn't warm to it. The plot is often meandering and full of clichés. I didn't like seeing German actors portraying Italians who speak German throughout -- that simply couldn't fly. I didn't buy the bit about the one brother being a film-making boy wonder -- the movies we get to see by him are bo-ring. I didn't buy the Jules-et-Jim-like love affair between Gigi, Giancarlo and Jo -- she comes across as little more than a blonde slag. I really hated the stereotype about the simple country girl waiting for her childhood love to come back from Germany "to bring her snow". I thought the story about the kindly photo shop owner was naff.

That's not enough for me to either hate or love this movie. The only thing that stands out to me is the impressive performance of the actress portraying the mother, Antonella Attili.

NB: I have to write the director's name in parentheses, otherwise IMDb will bowdlerise his first name to "faith".

touching and simple

[fox_x · 10/10 · 26 July 2004]

really excellent movie, one of the best i've seen. Touching and simple - just like life, sometimes you cry sometimes you laugh and it's just beautiful. not too much of anything, just as it's suppose to be. Really loved the idea of the movie, noone is bad or good, all or just people, sometimes make mistakes mostly because of society's pressure, everyone tries to stay strong and some succeed more than others and the most important thing is that you don't have reasons to get angry - you can do it, but eventually the anger goes away and then you to need to let love come back in although it's hard, there lies the true happiness.

Great actors and cast, the movie really gets you into the feeling of the movie.

nice nice nice.

I recommend to see it, especially if you like to see italians' life...

Great Feelings

[mm-1 · 10/10 · 20 November 2002]

This movie about two Italian brothers who came to Germany with their family is just great!

It isn't an idealistic movie, I would say it shows life as it is or was in the 60s and 70s when the main story takes place. The characters are very nice but have also some "dark" sides, what makes you believe that these are real persons. Great movie with great actors to show that life is not funny all the time, but that you can find happiness with "fire and passion" as the main character Gigi would say.

Down-to-earth movie with sympathetic characters

[RoelfJansen · 9/10 · 27 May 2003]

I really enjoyed this movie. The script is fresh and unpredictable and the acting is outstanding.It is a down-to-earth movie with characters one cares about. It brought tears into my eyes a few times but left me with a great feeling afterwards.

A really impressive and sincere film from Fatih Akýn(Turkish Director) about being outsiders

[[e-mail] · 9/10 · 20 May 2003]

this film takes you inside itself in the early minutes and holds you till the end. it has a very humane story and very good selected music. The acting of Moritz Bleibtreu (Giancarlo Amato) and Barnaby Metschurat (Gigi Amato) is satisfying. Recommended to people who get bored of action films and want to see a good movie.

Potential not fulfilled

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 8 December 2015]

"Solino" is a 2002, 2-hour movie by German-Turkish director Faith Akin and it's the unusual scenario that he did not write the script for his own film here. This film also shows how long he and Bleibtreu go back. Bleibtreu plays the co-lead next to Barnaby Metschurat in this one and I must say I certainly found Bleibtreu's character more interesting, even if he is the less likable of the two. The biggest problem I had with Metschurat was that he never seemed really Italian to me, in contrast to Bleibtreu's character who certainly gives of a Dolce Vita vibe in here. And judging from the 2 performances here, I can see why Metschurat, even if he is a likable guy, did not manage Bleibtreu's career in the last decade.

The movie chronicles several decades of an Italian family, who movies to Germany and opens a pizza restaurant. The focus is mostly on the two sons, initially still when they were children, but for the most part when they were adults. We watch their love stories, their relationships with their parents and their professional careers. It is not a terrible film by any means, but I must say I found it fairly uninteresting and it also dragged on some occasions. No doubt Akin is a really good filmmaker when it comes to multi-cultural works, but somehow this one here did not work out for me. Luckily, he made another film with Bleibtreu, playing the main character's brother again, about life and work at a restaurant ("Soul Kitchen") and I definitely preferred this Greek take on the story. One thing that stayed unclear with "Solino" for me was the Nazi reference, no idea why they included that one if the film is supposed to play in the 1960s and 1980s. All in all, one of Akin's weaker works, but it is fine as he was not even 30 when he made this one and definitely improved afterward. Apart from that, it also had to do with Matschurat simply being not right for the role. Not recommended.

Passion and Ardour

[lyrxsf · 8/10 · 7 June 2009]

Such a delightful movie! Very heart warming. One can't help falling in love with the character of Gigi. He's adorable as a child and grows into a sensitive artist. The whole movie revolves around him. He lives in a wonderful world – living all life – curiosity, desire and anticipation. There is an elder brother who tries to steal his glory but really remains in the shadow all his life. The father is very stereotypically Italian and so is the mother. I wanted the father to come and reunite with the mother in the last scene – and have them cry and laugh. I also wish that there was at least something redeeming about the elder brother. His personality seems to have been trashed entirely. Passion and ardour – that's the key to life. And looking through the camera – focusing on small details and savoring the delicate details of life.

I liked SOLINO very much!

[hartmutstiller · 9/10 · 28 December 2002]

I liked SOLINO very much. It is a very heart-rending story of an italian family moving to Germany. And it's an story about brotherly love, hope and disappointment. And the film is never boring. Go and see SOLINO!