Review of Puccini for Beginners (2006) by Bruno L — 24 May 2010

Puccini For Beginners starts with an abundance of wit and self-awareness and gradually becomes another typical romantic comedy, but even then, it's still quite good. The cast is great all around, and while some of the drama is diffused by the early reveal of the film's climax, and the opera structure is completely arbitrary, the film still feels mildly refreshing.

It doesn't match the heights of the obvious Woody Allen films that influenced it, or the later greatness of (500) Days of Summer, but Puccini For Beginners is a recent romcom that breaks away from the neo-traditional funk of the modern day cinema hearkens back to (multiple) happier times.