If you feel flashbacks while watching this, it's because it resembles Diane Lane's Under The Tuscan Sun to a t. You got it all: the scenery, the wine, the food, the emotions, the script that might trigger an allergy to mozarella since it's incomprehesively cheesy. It seems that the director couldn't read anything into the serene Mediterannean scenery but mediocre, predictable love stories and family feuds, with an additional focus on food that's not about artisan approach but "about love" (we know Italians love their pasta, no need to emphasize). The plot is simple: a successful Danish chef returns to Italy to tend to his father's legacy in the form of a semi-derelict castle (sic!) and can't help himself but sneer at the local approach to food. Eventually he makes friends with locals, falling in love while reconnecting with his past in the process. The difference between his depressing personality and the passionate, slightly defensive approach of his ltalian love interest are predictable at best and ridiculous at worst. Just like Lane's film, this might fit the best to 24Kitchen. And it's a perfect example of what I started calling location porn: when the scenery is beautiful, an intelligent script is rather a tiresome drag than a prerogative. Too bad. If you enjoy love stories and can't afford a trip to Tuscany to indulge in the food, wine and sun, there are always films like this. That's, more often than not, all they're good for.

As a Dane, Anders Matthesen is an insitution in himself; he is one of the most wellknown stand-up comedians we have in our country, and to see him tackle on a more serious role is quite refreshing. Also, I am quite a foodie myself, working as a food prepper at a deli and as a home cook/food blogger, and to me the highlight of the movie was showcasing Tuscan cuisine as well as the beauty of Tuscany. However, the script and plot of the movie was not very spectacular in execution and felt kind of tired after a while, and while some of the characters were quite likeable, in the end they made a lot of choices that didn't really make any sense.

Could be a good remake of A Good Year if the writers filled the loopholes in the script. Where's Toscana? Do you know where Parmigiano Reggiano is produced? How come a famous chef could be unaware of what's going on in Italy and its depth of gastronomy? Why do you need a fast paced love story? Exaggerated father issues of the protagonist etc.