The Salt of Life
2011 Directed by Gianni Di Gregorio
Synopsis
Gianni is back and looking for love ...
Gianni is sixty. He is retired but has not become lazy for all that. In fact he is a helpful fellow who gives a hand to all those who need one: shopping for his wife, walking the pretty neighbor's dog, and so on. Everybody likes Gianni, but is it for the right reasons? Doesn't his wife profit by the situation (she still works so it is only logical that Gianni do all the chores)? Isn't he subject to the excruciating whims of his rich mother?... Sure, everybody LIKES Gianni, but who LOVES him? Agreed, being kind to them, he is the ladies pet, but he does not attract them anymore. That is why, when his macho lawyer friend Alfonso blames him for not having young mistresses "like every other senior Italian male", Gianni, who is beginning to ask himself questions about what it is like to become old, starts chasing dames.
Cast
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I absolutely adored Mid-August Lunch by Director-Actor-Writer Gianni Di Gregorio, so I was really excited to view his latest film: The Salt of Life.
Gianni once again portrays a warm, generous character—who suffers from comedic circumstances that he constantly struggles with. His “Mama” (played by the amazing Valeria de Franciscis) is spending his inheritance on her lavish house, extravagant ladies’ lunches, expensive landscaping, and bottles of $250 champagne. Even though he’s struggling with his own expenses, he can’t ask her for money outright—instead relying on the fact that he will eventually inherit her house and whatever is left of her fortune.
His home life has suffered from routine, with a wife that seems indifferent to his distress and a daughter…
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This is my first experience of writer-director-actor Gianni Di Gregorio having missed his debut hit, Mid-August Lunch. If this film is representative of his earlier film then it is best to describe him as an Italian Woody Allen, his character as neurotic and fearing for his worth as he grows older, yet he’s nowhere near as funny, insightful or talented. In The Salt of Life, Gianni is a retiree in a seemingly loveless marriage who is intent on experiencing one last romantic adventure.
Living in Rome, female temptation is everywhere, particularly his beautiful neighbour or the nurse he has hired for his grotesque mother, yet he is invisible to all these women as a sexual figure. Although billed as a…
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Writer/Director/Star Gianni Di Gregorio is a poor man's Woody Allen. It's criminal that only 27 people on Letterboxd have watched this movie! It's not quite as good as his previous film, Mid-August Lunch, but it's still very watchable, and watched it should be!
Gianni's films don't have too much depth, their themes are up front and they don't span too many subjects. But they are really fun to watch, mainly because of the authenticity of everything on screen. And Gianni has a face made for movies. He's an indie talent making Italian films, why isn't he more well known?
The Salt of Life features Gianni attempting to cope with life, currently trying to fit in with his friends/acquaintances by finding a mistress. The film is about emotion, relationships, people.
95 minutes long, you can find time for it. Mid-August Lunch is only 75 minutes, you can start with that one. On you go
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With his follow-up to The Mid-August Lunch, a hilarious indie comedy, Gianni de Gregorio writes another warm, hilarious, feel-good comedy that never fails to entertain. It doesn't have quite as much heart as Lunch, but it's still got the same sharp sense of humor that made the film such a surprising delight. Overall, Salt of Life is nothing great or profound, but it's highly entertaining. It's worth seeing if you just want a light romp for the afternoon.
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Simply marvelous. Funny, observationally astute & completely lacking in pretence. Such wonderful depth and humour out of the everyday.
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Simply marvelous. Funny, observationally astute & completely lacking in pretence. Such wonderful depth and humour out of the everyday.
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Like several reviewers I came to this warmed by the experience of Mid-August Lunch and whilst 'the Salt of Life' has its pleasures, I felt very much like I was eating leftovers.
At the heart of the film is a very likeable and perfectly played central performance and the film is to be commended for tackling themes of ageing, living with regret, and idealising youth with such a light touch. That said, I soon got tired of the ogling and whilst the film was never dull it lacked the full flavour of its predecessor.
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This is my first experience of writer-director-actor Gianni Di Gregorio having missed his debut hit, Mid-August Lunch. If this film is representative of his earlier film then it is best to describe him as an Italian Woody Allen, his character as neurotic and fearing for his worth as he grows older, yet he’s nowhere near as funny, insightful or talented. In The Salt of Life, Gianni is a retiree in a seemingly loveless marriage who is intent on experiencing one last romantic adventure.
Living in Rome, female temptation is everywhere, particularly his beautiful neighbour or the nurse he has hired for his grotesque mother, yet he is invisible to all these women as a sexual figure. Although billed as a…
-
Writer/Director/Star Gianni Di Gregorio is a poor man's Woody Allen. It's criminal that only 27 people on Letterboxd have watched this movie! It's not quite as good as his previous film, Mid-August Lunch, but it's still very watchable, and watched it should be!
Gianni's films don't have too much depth, their themes are up front and they don't span too many subjects. But they are really fun to watch, mainly because of the authenticity of everything on screen. And Gianni has a face made for movies. He's an indie talent making Italian films, why isn't he more well known?
The Salt of Life features Gianni attempting to cope with life, currently trying to fit in with his friends/acquaintances by finding a mistress. The film is about emotion, relationships, people.
95 minutes long, you can find time for it. Mid-August Lunch is only 75 minutes, you can start with that one. On you go
-
I absolutely adored Mid-August Lunch by Director-Actor-Writer Gianni Di Gregorio, so I was really excited to view his latest film: The Salt of Life.
Gianni once again portrays a warm, generous character—who suffers from comedic circumstances that he constantly struggles with. His “Mama” (played by the amazing Valeria de Franciscis) is spending his inheritance on her lavish house, extravagant ladies’ lunches, expensive landscaping, and bottles of $250 champagne. Even though he’s struggling with his own expenses, he can’t ask her for money outright—instead relying on the fact that he will eventually inherit her house and whatever is left of her fortune.
His home life has suffered from routine, with a wife that seems indifferent to his distress and a daughter…
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By the way the original Italian title is much much better... Gianni e le donne
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It's hard not to be charmed by Italian director Gianni Di Gregorrio's self-effacing slice-of-life movies. The Salt of Life is a simple, yet heartfelt, story of an older man wondering if he can ever really be a lover again. Acutely observed and rendered with impeccable comic timing, The Salt of Life is a rare work of small wonder.
My full review at DVD Talk: www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/56718/salt-of-life-the/
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Gianni e le donne
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Go here.