Remember Me, My Love (2003)
"Ricordati di me" (original title)

In the dysfunctional Italian middle-class family Ristuccia, the middle-aged executive Carlo has a stalled life without passion, bored in his work and having a monotonous life with his wife ... See full summary »

Director:

Gabriele Muccino

Writers:

Gabriele Muccino (story), Gabriele Muccino (screenplay),

Stars:

Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Laura Morante, Nicoletta Romanoff

5 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Fabrizio Bentivoglio	...	Carlo Ristuccia
Laura Morante	...	Giulia Ristuccia
Nicoletta Romanoff	...	Valentina Ristuccia
Monica Bellucci	...	Alessia
Silvio Muccino	...	Paolo Ristuccia
Gabriele Lavia	...	Alfredo
Enrico Silvestrin	...	Stefano Manni
Silvia Cohen	...	Elena
Alberto Gimignani	...	Riccardo
Amanda Sandrelli	...	Louise
Blas Roca-Rey	...	Matt
Pietro Taricone	...	Paolo Tucci
Giulia Michelini	...	Ilaria
Maria Chiara Augenti	...	Anna Pezzi
Andrea Roncato	...	Luigi

Storyline

In the dysfunctional Italian middle-class family Ristuccia, the middle-aged executive Carlo has a stalled life without passion, bored in his work and having a monotonous life with his wife Giulia. Giulia is a frustrated and hysterical woman because she gave up of being an actress in her youth to dedicate to the family. Their needy son Paolo feels lost and rejected, trying to find who he is and flirting with a schoolmate. Their seventeen years old daughter Valentina is decided to work in a television show, and is fighting to have an audition. When Carlo meets his former sweetheart Alessia in a class reunion, they confess to each other that their marriages are in crisis and both feel passion arising again. Meanwhile Giulia is invited to an audition in a stage production and to participate of a play. Paolo tries to make friends using marijuana in his birthday party, and Valentina has sex with different guys trying to be a dancer of the famous TV show 'Ali Babbi'. Their relationships ...

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Plot Keywords:

box office hit | family relationships

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Taglines:

Some loves are never forgotten

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexuality and teen drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [it] Roadside Attractions

Country:

Italy France UK

Language:

Italian French English

Release Date:

14 February 2003 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Remember Me, My Love

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

€5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$19,684 (USA) (3 September 2004)

Gross:

$223,878 (USA) (10 December 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fandango, Buena Vista International Film Production France, Vice Versa Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Paolo Ristuccia: Tell me the truth Valentina, what do you think of me? What am I like from the outside?
Valentina Ristuccia: You know what I think about you.
Paolo Ristuccia: Tell me anyway.
Valentina Ristuccia: I think you're clueless and inexpressive, when you talk it sounds like you've got a rag in you mouth and people can't understand a f**k, you don't shower and you dress like a communist loser when the world goes in the opposite direction. This is what I think.
Paolo Ristuccia: Anything else?
Valentina Ristuccia: No, that's enough.

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Connections

Referenced in The Benchwarmers (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Almeno tu nell'universo"
Performed by Elisa

User Reviews

A Tale About the Fragile Balance of Wanting and Needing...

I watched "Ricordati di me" and it felt like a polite conversation that avoids self criticism and only accepts one's personal dreams and ambitions. A conversation that accomplishes nothing since the subconscious is too scared to embark on the dreams because there is no safety net.

'Remember Me, My Love,' as it is known in North America, is a great film that reveals the superficial mask of the family unit. It is the story of a family and its progressive loss of balance between the self and the public sphere of conventional happiness. This film begins beautifully with the personal woes of the family members and the audience can sense the inevitable tipping of the cauldron.

The crossroads for most of the characters is based upon their personal potential and their own self-interests versus the ones created by their environments. For Carlo Ristuccia (played wonderfully by Fabrizio Bentivoglio), Giulia (another great performance by Laura Morante) and Alessia (played by the very talented Monica Belucci) the question at hand is based upon their waning existence. They all seem to feel lost and monotone while they struggle to feel the youthful sensation of bliss and love. The opening sequence is perfectly written and shot to portray the Ristuccias one dimensional life. The screenplay, subtle in its work, progressively displays the inevitable choices to be made by the members of the Ristuccia family.

However, as the characters embark on their selfish adventures, they digress from their intentions and they seem to blindly be repeating their mistakes. Giulia attempts to reconcile her acting career yet fails to see the theme of the play as a reflection of her own state. Carlo, failing to write the last chapter of his novel, never completes his work because he is afraid to risk and lose. He, along with the rest of his family, tries to balance between the want and the need. A problem that is never realized - even in the end.

"Remember Me, My Love" is a film that could have benefited from some slight editing, especially concerning Valentina's storyline, yet the end product leaves you feeling like the characters - a false sense of hope but a bigger sense of loss. This film strikes a reminiscent chord for its audience because it deals with loss - the loss of dreams, the loss of love - and its battle with throwing in the towel. None of the characters experience true happiness however they've convinced themselves at times. The first and final shot sum up the film beautifully as it questions the choices made by each of the man characters. It's all a facade, so enjoy the show.