My Brother Is an Only Child (2007)

Two brothers come of age in a small Italian town in the '60s and '70s.

Director:

Daniele Luchetti

Writers:

Antonio Pennacchi (novel), Daniele Luchetti (story and screenplay)

Stars:

Elio Germano, Riccardo Scamarcio, Angela Finocchiaro

19 wins & 29 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Elio Germano	...	Accio Benassi
Riccardo Scamarcio	...	Manrico Benassi
Angela Finocchiaro	...	Amelia Benassi
Massimo Popolizio	...	Ettore Benassi
Ascanio Celestini	...	Padre Cavalli
Diane Fleri	...	Francesca
Alba Rohrwacher	...	Violetta Benassi
Vittorio Emanuele Propizio	...	Accio adolescent
Claudio Botosso	...	Prof. Montagna
Antonino Bruschetta	...	Segretario Bombacci (as Ninni Bruschetta)
Anna Bonaiuto	...	Bella Nastri
Luca Zingaretti	...	Mario Nastri
Pasquale Sammarco	...	Padre Tosi
Lorenzo Pagani	...	Bertini
Matteo Sacchi	...	Ragazzo Biliardino

Storyline

Two brothers come of age in the 1960s in a town south of Rome. Manrico is handsome, sometimes feckless, a leftist making the revolution. His younger brother Accio ("Bully") is a seminarian when the story beings, soon home studying Latin and joining the Fascists. Francesca, an aristocratic student, becomes Manrico's lover and Accio's friend. Over the next ten years, these three experience family, love, attraction, politics, and the challenges of adult responsibility. Subplots include Nastri, a father figure and political guide to Accio, Nastri's wife Bella who guides Accio in other ways, and the brothers' parents and sister, who are dazzled by Manrico's charm while depending on Accio.

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Plot Keywords:

italy | controversial | revolution | politics | latin | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Celluloid Dreams (German) Official site [Spain]

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

20 April 2007 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Mon frère est fils unique

Filming Locations:

Latina, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

EUR5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,357, 30 March 2008

Gross USA:

$255,620

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$267,574

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cattleya, Babe Film, Film Commission Torino-Piemonte

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Taken from the novel "Il fasciocomunista", the title has been changed in "Mio fratello è figlio unico" as a tribute to the eponymous song by Rino Gaetano.

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Soundtracks

Ma Che Freddo Fa
Performed by Nada Malanima

User Reviews

A film of two halves

This film is a dilemma for me. The first half just bounced along. The music was perfect. The energy pulled me along with it, seeing what felt to me like real people's insight into the serious subject matter. Interesting subject matter, interesting characters with motivation, who I cared about. You do laugh at things, even when serious stuff is going on most of the time. I didn't think it could get any better.

And then in a blink of an eye (about an hour in, maybe), it all went to pieces. It dawdled slowly through clichés. I felt like I knew what was coming, and I didn't even care. It was implausible, and at times boring enough for me to lose concentration.

Part of the problem is that it is (as another reviewer noted) about 20 minutes too long. How come are there film directors - talented ones - who haven't yet noticed that 90 minutes is generally enough? 8/10 for the brilliant first half.