In Search of Fellini (2017)

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

Let's be realistic.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

This sappy, tired little movie proves that Fellini's magic was his own and it can't be carelessly copied or easily interpreted. The actors are fine, but the script and the direction leave everyone stranded in a cliched mess. OK, it was more enjoyable than Fellini Casanova, but that's not saying much.

In Search of Fellini was beautifully done. Every moment of the actors' lines and scenes were authentic. The entire cast did very well in their roles, from the film extras to the lead roles. Peter Arpesella as Fellini's assistant was also very well done. Ksenia Solo was a delight to watch as the isolated, painfully shy, innocent, and vulnerable Lucy. Enrico Oetiker as Pietro lit up the screen with his natural charisma and quiet intensity. Enrico did not have much overall screen time, but made a strong and lasting impression. Maria Bello as Lucy's mother and Mary Lyn Rajskub as Kerri were wonderfully acted. The love interests in this film share an onscreen chemistry that is rare. Their connection was natural, organic, and profound. There are moments in this film that remind me of the unmatched magic like quality of the many Italian classics I have enjoyed. The film score flows seamlessly within this movie and is just the right complement to the action and often is quite moving. The film is not necessarily fantasy and not quite realistic, but somewhere in between...perfect for a Fellini inspired film and very well done tribute to a master.

3/24/18. If you love Italy and Fellini, you will enjoy this quirky coming-of-age film. Solo is the 20 year-old daughter of single mom Bello and niece of aunt Rajskub. Overprotected all her life, she is suddenly forced to grow up when Bello discovers she is dying from cancer and can't face the fact of not being able to protect Solo from that reality. Solo goes to Italy in search of the director Fellini and while there loses a lot of her innocence that Bello can no longer protect her from. Along the way you will get to enjoy great Italian scenery in several cities, interspersed with Fellini clips and interactions between Bello and Rajskub as they deal with Bello's health issues and learning about what was so fascinating about Fellini's film.

Nice movie. Lucy is so over protected by her (single) mom who does not want her hurt by the 'lessons of life', that she is not even told that her dog dies, when it does. Lucy gets greeting cards from her dog that went 'off on an adventure'. So, when she is 20, and her mom is obviously declining in health, she is lost. A chance encounter with a screening of a Fellini movie leads to an obsession, and then, she takes off for a somewhat half baked trip to Italy. She has an appointment to keep with Fellini, which she sets up over the phone! Many practical details are glossed over (where did she get a passport, if mom was so protective, etc?). The movie shines in interweaving fantasy and her dreamlike state with reality and her mother's experiences with her own. This is not 'realism' by any stretch.. towards the end, we are rewarded with a young self confident woman, who has learned a lot of life lessons from her Italy trip.