Citizens of the World

I came across this film and enjoyed it very much. The story of three very ordinary men who hope to perhaps become extraordinary.

It's a very gently paced film, building the characters and helping you understand each ones strengths and weaknesses, and the way they relate to the world. I won't tell you the ending but it has a lovely ending and I was so happy for the way it worked out.

If you are looking for an entertainment with heroes that you can identify with, especially if you have reached retirement age or if you have parents or grandparents at this age, then 'Lontano Lontano', the 2019 film by Italian director Gianni di Gregorio can be exactly what you need. Di Gregorio, who is also the author of the screenplay and plays one of the lead roles, has created a story that seems to belong, like its heroes, to another era - an era in which people were not only more decent, but also able to plan. to travel or even settle in another country, to be, as the English title of the film says - 'Citizens of the World'.

The heroes of the film are three Italian retirees who have lived most or perhaps their entire lives in Rome or around this city. All three are lonely, their pensions, if they have them, are close to the minimum, they hardly meet ends and their knowledge about the rest of the world and even about the laws of the country and society in which they live is very limited. Corona is still just a brand of beer that the three have probably not heard of, so Europe and the whole world is open to them, and theoretically they could move to another country, somewhere where their precarious pensions in Italy are worth a lot so that their lives would be much more comfortable. Within a week we will watch the three heroes debating with each other and with themselves the idea of leaving the country they had lived in until then and the familiar environment in which they had lived all their lives to embark on the adventure of relocating to another country at old age. The mirage is strong but venturing into the unknown is not an easy decision.

The film has an indisputable charm due primarily to the warmth with which the director films the environment in which their heroes live their lives. The three retirees live in a world that tells them almost bluntly that they are no longer needed, the laws and the ways the capitalist economy and digital society function are increasingly hard to understand to them, but at least some of the people around have not changed much for the worse and the fabric of social relations added to the familiarity of the landscape with its bars, restaurants, market booths, even their neglected homes function as the best social safety net. The three actors, Ennio Fantastichini, Giorgio Colangeli, and film director Gianni Di Gregorio play with talent and empathy the roles of the three heroes, with their doubts and hard to take decisions, with their old age and their difficulties, dreams and disappointments. They are in fact the generation of children in the neo-realistic Italian films of the '50s and' 60s who have now reached the age of old age and are facing what Italy has become tourist and consumer. Based largely on the charm of the actors and the empathy between the audience, the characters and the world in which they live, the film does not develop, unfortunately more intrigue, and therefore the demonstration seems a bit simplistic and rhetorical and at the end of the week described in the film, we, spectators, risk being a little disappointed. 'Lontano Lontano' is a nice and human film, which could have been a very good one if it had been more daring.

The film revolves around the humdrum and routine existence of three aged retirees. They have little to do in their lives apart from dreaming of being able to travel to another country and start their lives over. This is just a fantasy that will never happen. Unfortunately, the film is badly done, and fails to engage the viewer. It runs at the pace of slower than slow, and has little poignancy to it. The only message to come across is that of a humdrum and routine way of life that happens as one ages!

Good story. Retired guys living in a beautiful country want to move somewhere better they think.

They start saving money and in the end they decide on something else.

If it had been me in real life as a retiree myself, I would have suggested taking a grand tour of the beautiful European continent they live in. They have special tours for senior citizens.

Still a very good movie because you believe that it's not a movie but something that is actually happening to three retired guys as you watch.

The social interactions of the movie characters are funny and endearing.

This very good movie deserves more viewers. Strongly recommend.

...and we all can identify, sooner or later. Great actors, doesn't get boring, makes you wish it would be longer - but no need for it, the message comes across as it's a good story & script. Also lovly to have seen it in the italian original (with subs) Wont get into detail as not to spoil anything, you wont be dissapointed just watching it. At the timw of writing there's one other review, very well written and long, with more details if you still hesitate. But hey, just watch it first ;)