Nice to see another by director Tornatore. I loved Cinema Paradiso and while this movie wasn't bad, although it wasn't great. The few scenes where Monica Bellucci actually got to act, namely towards the end, were very well done (maybe some day her other movies like The Apartment will be released in the US). The stereotypical child beatings and constant family screaming were a little overdone and didn't really provide the comic relief they were meant to....I don't know what's up with MIRAMAX but I've certainly had it with them promoting each new "foreign" flick they come along with as the next Il Postino. See this movie instead of the inferior Chocolat or Captain Corelli's Mandolin.