Two very different Italian families are spending what should be a typical summer holiday in neighboring seaside houses: the sophisticated, bohemian and neurotic Castelvecchios and the working-class, rather narrow-minded, and loud Petagnas. Normally they would steer clear of each other—let’s face it, these families are kind of red-state/blue-state incompatible—but the two middle-aged dads have an announcement: they are getting married…to each other.

So begins this delightful and affecting rom-com, set along the spectacular coastline south of Rome. You can feel the genuine love between silver fox Tony (a charismatic Fabrizio Bentivoglio) and sensitive bear Carlo (a soulful Alessandro Gassman, Steam: The Turkish Bath, Frameline22). But their commitment is soon put to the test by their stunned families, especially the eldest children, who are convinced that the match is wrong for all sorts of reasons and set out to derail the nuptials. Will love triumph in the end, or is it (as the Italian title would put it) a blessing and a curse? It’s La cage aux folles meets Mamma Mia! in this light-hearted and surprisingly touching Mediterranean charmer.

— PETER L. STEIN