You, Me & Tuscany stirs up comedy, even with the flat moments trying to detract from its sparkle.
You, Me & Tuscany gets lost in the sauce occasionally, but thanks to much of the cast, it maintains a largely funny and sometimes romantic film. The leads get outshone by some of the comedic characters, and their chemistry feels more friendly than romantic. But what the film lacks in the romantic side, it makes up for with the comedy. You, Me & Tuscany stirs up comedy, even with the flat moments trying to detract from its sparkle.
Directed by Kat Coiro (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Marry Me) and written by Ryan Engle (Rampage, The Commuter) and Kristen Engle, it stars Halle Bailey (The Little Mermaid, The Color Purple) as Anna, a housesitter who crashes at an empty villa and poses as the owner’s fiancée when his family finds her in residence. While there is some drag and comedy that does not fully reach its mark, much of the chemistry comes from interactions with the side characters. As such, the movie becomes an enjoyable, fun time. But it’s not breaking any new ground. Also, if you’re not a fan of rom-coms, You, Me & Tuscany will not change your mind.
You, Me & Tuscany Remains Within Its Wheelhouse
Aside from the unique opening sequences that showcase Briana’s adoptive house-sitting life to establish to the audience it’s all glitz and no glam, little else functions as surprising or even groundbreaking. Romantic comedies are often fluff. But it’s nice to see one lean into some of the absurd, complete with slow-motion shirtless hottie hilarity. It comes complete with humor about the “sunken place” and preserving edges, often surprising with the comedy. While You, Me & Tuscany does not stand out amongst what came before, it’s still refreshing because of its leads and where it takes place.
Where The Romance Struggles, The Comedy Steps In
The romantic aspect feels at once too fast and underdeveloped. You, Me & Tuscany initially teases an enemies-to-lovers possibility between the pair with their initial argument over a sandwich in a shop. However, it barely lasts, especially when both play as less antagonistic and more flirty. Next, the longing looks go from 0 to 100 almost out of nowhere. So, it’s a confusing “when did this happen” question. There are hints of it, especially toward the end, but it struggles often. It’s still entertaining, but it doesn’t feel as romantic as it could be even with Matteo, played by Lorenzo de Moor (The Legend Hunters, Another Simple Favor) also giving romantic lead energy.
Now, the comedy is well-done. Though some of the running humor is less funny, i.e., the affair schtick. It’s a wtf insert akin to Pitch Perfect with the whispering character who quips that she “sets fires to feel joy.” It’s present to surprise, but adds nothing else. In the U.S., Anna’s friend, Claire, played by Aziza Scott (One of Them Days, Home Before Dark), keeps the laughter flowing. Although she and the others are typical comedic relief, her jokes land thanks in large part to her delivery. Next, the taxi driver, played by Marco Calvani (High Tide, The Four Seasons), is hilarious, being a large part of the comedy in Italy.
Halle Bailey isn’t awful in the role. However, she does falter toward the climax, where the acting feels like it’s of television-special quality. For most of the film, she shines with her warmth, but in the comedy, the side characters outshine her. The same goes for Regé-Jean Page (Bridgerton) as Michael. Although it’s clear, based on Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, that he can do comedy. The issue is more with the writing. They did not know how to make the two leads funny. Either that was a challenge because they don’t know how to make romantic characters also funny, or they don’t know how to make Black romantic characters funny.
Worthwhile to Support Especially If You Enjoy Rom-Coms
The climate of the world also impacts films. It’s almost impossible to separate them when watching them. So, on the one hand, You, Me & Tuscany is comedic fun. However, on the other hand, it’s impossible to separate the anger and frustration of seeing a film starring Black leads in front of the camera while white people tell the story behind the camera.
It’s even worse when you recall Black writers and directors repeatedly have the doors shut in their face or have their shot depend on another unrelated film’s success. Are Black romances only worth telling when it’s a white person holding the pen or camera? You, Me & Tuscany is sweet with surprising laughs, making it worthwhile despite sometimes feeling like a made-for-TV romance that lacks enough sizzle for its steak.
