My Brother is an Only Child

My Brother is an Only Child (2007, Italian)
(Mio fratello è figlio unico)

This movie is an interesting exploration into the dynamics of family life.  Whether in Latina, Italy or any town in the United States or whether in the 60s or the 21st century, siblings are bound to be different from each other. In this case, the brothers in question (plus a sister) are at different ends of the political spectrum.  Accio (Elio Germano) and Manrico (Riccardo Scamarcio) are growing up in a small town in Italy in the 1960s.  Accio begins to drift toward the Fascist movement while his brother (Manrico and sister, Violetta) are caught up in the Communist cause.

As they grow up, the bonds of family are in conflict with their political leanings. Yet, despite this and their typical sibling rivalries, they remain dedicated to each other. One of the few problems I had with the movie were that Manrico kept reminding me of Vinny Chase (TV’s “Entourage”).  Many of his mannerisms were similar. The other issue I had was with the yelling and smacking. If it weren’t made by Italians, it would probably be blasted for playing up to stereotypes. But this is a minor quibble and after all, aren’t a lot of stereotypes based on some truths.

All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable film. The pacing felt right. There was good character development without the story bogging down.