Baaria review

Cinema Paradiso director Giuseppe Tornado resets this glossy, nostalgia-soaked family saga in his own Sicilian town of Baaria.

A decade ago, it would’ve been on the Foreign Language Oscar shortlist, but compared to much modern Italian cinema –Gomorrah, Il Divo – it can’t help seeming lightweight, despite ambitious scope.

This is a town where five decades of political upheaval translate into a little brotherly rough and tumble.

Which isn’t to say it’s not enjoyable. Baaria is like a pleasant package holiday: alfresco dinners, strolls through lemon orchards. If an ash cloud ruins your summer plans, consider it a viable substitute.