2007 Athens Film Festival
'Puccini for Beginners' offers lessons in love
By Jen Pontzer, Staff Writer
May 1, 2007 | 5:46 p.m.
"Puccini for Beginners" is a brilliantly written and performed film. It’s inventive, smart and a bright spot in the Athens Film Fest, taking the trite idea of the love triangle and romantic comedy and breathing new life into it.
The film centers on Allegra (Elizabeth Reaser), a lesbian who also happens to like a man and can’t seem to commit to anyone. The very idea of committing to another person abhors her, as she compares it to being committed to an insane asylum. Her conflicted feelings cause her lover, Samantha (Julianne Nicholson), to leave her for a boyfriend. Allegra’s friend convinces her to go to a party where she meets Philip (Justin Kirk), with whom she ends up in a relationship. She’s also in a relationship with Grace (Gretchen Mol) -- who also happens to be Philip’s ex.
While viewers may want to hate Allegra, Reaser makes it nearly impossible. "Grey’s Anatomy" fans will love having the chance to see Jane Doe in a role where she gets to move around. She’s engaging, and it’s easy to understand why Allegra acts the way she does. The film makes audiences question whether or not it’s possible to love more than one person at a time, or if people really are supposed to be with just one person for the rest of their lives. Allegra's fear of love, being vulnerable and growing old with someone is something to which many people can relate. The great thing about this film is that while its dialogue is intelligent and witty, it’s also universal.
The only thing that could make this film better would be if it didn’t feel like director Maria Maggenti were imitating Woody Allen. At times, it felt like watching a modern version of Allen's "Annie Hall," albeit with a lesbian -- make that "bisexual claiming to be a lesbian" -- as the lead. It’s true that the intelligent dialogue in the quaint book stores and New York City apartments can get a little too intelligent with its theories on life and love, Kant and Philip Roth. However, the discussions these theories are sure to raise once the theater lights return will make this film worth seeing. This is a movie that raises questions, and may get people talking about something deeper than usual.
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Speakeasy rating: A
MPAA rating: Not Rated
Running time: 82 minutes
Genre: Comedy