To Rome with Love

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: June 22, 2012

6.2	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 120 Ratings

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ClariseSamuelsJan 27, 2013

This film is a little frustrating because followers of Woody Allen will wonder how to categorize it. Is it a romantic romp or a surreal critique of society? If a critique of society, this is Allen's society, and as always he is preoccupiedThis film is a little frustrating because followers of Woody Allen will wonder how to categorize it. Is it a romantic romp or a surreal critique of society? If a critique of society, this is Allen's society, and as always he is preoccupied with romance, the alienation of the artist, the elusive pursuit of scholarly excellence, and his own mortality. We have four romantic vignettes, the most entertaining of which is a young Italian couple, newlywed, who become separated for a day and absurdly end up cheating on each other on their honeymoon. The young wife is seduced by a movie star she has always admired, having watched him filming on the streets of Rome, and the young husband is seduced by a beautiful hooker, played by Penelope Cruz. Even this vignette is exaggerated and wearisome, but it is the best of the four and makes a stab at examining the essential nature of fidelity. Roberto Benigni, in another vignette plays Leopoldo Pisanello, a married, hard-working father of two who one day walks out his door and is suddenly famous for no reason. Journalists swarm him and want to know what he ate for breakfast. He is tortured and plagued by the media attention, and he just wants peace and quiet. But then, Leopoldo, who like Allen is a skinny, scrawny, average-looking guy, begins to enjoy the benefits of celebrity. When in bed with other women, he worries about being a married man. "Don't worry, Mr. Pisanello, the rules don't apply to you--you are special," he is told by a fan. That line would be of little consequence in another film, but in a Woody Allen film, it takes on new dimensions. When the media attention disappears as mysteriously as it arose, Leopoldo sighs that if he has to choose between being a celebrity and a poor unknown, it's better to be a celebrity. Unfortunately, Leopoldo never comprehends that the lack of substance behind his overblown celebrity constitutes the worst form of philosophical inauthenticity. In a third vignette, Alec Baldwin plays a voice of conscience telling the young Jesse Eisenberg, who is acting like the young Woody Allen, not to fall for Monica (Ellen Page), because she is a superficial, petty intellectual and worse--she's an actress, which means she is flighty, promiscuous, and unreliable, if not downright ditsy. Baldwin is always there making comments in the background, yet he is strangely invisible, one of the plot devices indicating the film is supposed to be magical realism, with surreal elements, although it flits back and forth indecisively about its genre, as it does about its plot. Allen appears playing an American dad in Rome, and Judy Davis, an old-time member of Allen's entourage, is his wife. The fourth vignette is Alison Pill's role as a tourist who meets a gorgeous Italian stallion at the Trevi Fountain. There is arguably a fifth vignette about an opera singer who can only perform in the shower, therefore the shower stall is put on the stage so that the populace can hear this angelic voice, no matter what it takes. How do all of these vignettes tie together? They don't. But they all take place in Rome, the Eternal City, whose perpetuity is somehow supposed to make all of this cohere, and needless to say, it doesn't. (The musical score, which is intended to contribute to the Roman ambience, is annoying.) Nevertheless, the film is vintage Woody Allen, and if you're a fan who wonders what Allen had for breakfast, you'll wonder what he had for breakfast the day he sat down to write this screenplay.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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EdeltraudJan 20, 2013

A pleasant postcard from Roma, with interesting conceits. But overall, the story meandered all over the place without any satisfactory resolve and at times grew tedious. Penelope, Ellen and Alec played their usual selves. The opera singerA pleasant postcard from Roma, with interesting conceits. But overall, the story meandered all over the place without any satisfactory resolve and at times grew tedious. Penelope, Ellen and Alec played their usual selves. The opera singer (an actual opera singer, a famous tenor) was awesome. Woody inserted a few on-liners for himself, that made me laugh, but could be considered clumsy. A harmless and entertaining enough way to spend a winter's night and no one's brains got blown out which is always a plus.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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JudgeHoldenSep 2, 2012

After a decent "Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona" and a good "Midnight in Paris", Woody Allen offers us a galore of stereotypes about Italy and the Italians boosted to unimaginable, absurd levels. Where are all intelligent and witty jokes that usedAfter a decent "Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona" and a good "Midnight in Paris", Woody Allen offers us a galore of stereotypes about Italy and the Italians boosted to unimaginable, absurd levels. Where are all intelligent and witty jokes that used to enjoy in his movies? Where is the well balanced humour? All I receive is a flawed picture of the Italian society, which seems to be full of idiots and people obsessed with fame, not to mention a total lack of Rome itself. The atmosphere of this wonderful city was reduced to a few postcard-ish scenes that completely lack to portrait its soul. And what is Penelope Cruz doing there? She was included in the cast as a prostitute who doesn't even speak good Italian... When Carlo Verdone, a famous Italian actor from Rome, saw this movie in March, he supposedly said: "Allen knows nothing about Rome and the Romans". Unfortunately, he was right.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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TVJerryJul 9, 2012

Woody Allen continues his tour of Europe (and its backers) with this latest foray to the Eternal City. It follows four stories (some in subtitles): young Americans in love, newlyweds who lose their way, an ordinary man who becomes famous andWoody Allen continues his tour of Europe (and its backers) with this latest foray to the Eternal City. It follows four stories (some in subtitles): young Americans in love, newlyweds who lose their way, an ordinary man who becomes famous and an undertaker who loves to sing opera. Each unfolds in fluid timelines with casts of well-known actors from both continents. The narratives start out with upbeat promise, but ramble on too long and lack sufficient humor to sustain the momentum. While it's not one of his best, it's fun to see Allen onscreen (giving himself the best lines). Of course, Rome is showcased to lovely advantage and the actors do commendable jobs. Despite the energy, it simply loses steam and stimulation.… Expand

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CitizenCharlieJul 6, 2012

We have seen Woody Allen

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DTDunnMar 22, 2013

This film was nothing less than a golden shower let loose on those of us who have loyally stayed by Mr. Allen, despite his deplorable behavior in the past. The movie was like some absurdly long screen test of nonsensical material, neverThis film was nothing less than a golden shower let loose on those of us who have loyally stayed by Mr. Allen, despite his deplorable behavior in the past. The movie was like some absurdly long screen test of nonsensical material, never intended for the big screen. The worst Woody Allen film ever made.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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NedRyerson1Jan 13, 2014

To Rome with Love surprised me because did not fulfill all the expectation that a Woody Allen film can produce. The whole movie idea is repetitive: stories that treat the topic of love and loss. The thing is that every chapter has some detailTo Rome with Love surprised me because did not fulfill all the expectation that a Woody Allen film can produce. The whole movie idea is repetitive: stories that treat the topic of love and loss. The thing is that every chapter has some detail that is innovative, immerse in the classic Woody Allen irony. First we have the one of Jerry and his wife who came to Rome in order to visit the future husband of their daughter; however Jerry is an imbecille opera director that put people singing dressed like mice. Second there is Jack and Sally who are tormented by the presence of Monica a kind of femme fatale; here it constantly appear John and we do not know if he is real or the conscious of Jack, because he shows up everywhere. Third it is the one of Antonio and his wife whose relation will be interrupted by Anna, a prostitute, and Lucas, a film star. Finally we have Leopoldo, a middle age man who from one day to another became famous. Despite all these things, this film do not show important topics of this director: like the neurotic-obsessive character, the escape from the reality, the feeling of belonging and fear of rejection. As always the script is hilarious, although some performances are deficient, except Ellen Page, Alec Baldwin and Penelope Cruz. Seem to be that Woody Allen lost the way.… Expand

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beingryanjudeAug 31, 2014

Coming off of the plane from Paris, Woody Allen takes us into Rome, Italy on a typically Allen-esque adventure with zany and hilarious characters. Although, small in the shadow of Midnight in Paris, Allen proves his continued skill.

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RaminSharifianMar 1, 2015

However there are lots of excellent ideas in the plot, Allen did not even try to develop them, so movie left immature and unable to assert its meaning

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