Appealing personalities paper over occasional plot weaknesses in Luca Lucini’s genial romantic comedy “The Woman of My Life.” A prime example of how the right casting can make all the difference, this tale of two half-brothers and the women they have in common — one their mother, the other their girlfriend — starts well and has a couple of standout scenes, but loses the originality and brio needed to really take off. “Woman” reaped a respectable $3.7 million after one month on local screens, and might mildly charm Italo showcases.
Controlling but not monstrous mom Alba (Stefania Sandrelli, especially strong) has two sons: doctor Giorgio (Alessandro Gassman) is married to Carolina (Sonia Bergamasco) but indulges in frequent dalliances, while Leonardo (Luca Argentero) is single, shy and sensitive. Leonardo falls for cellist Sara (Valentina Lodovini), on the rebound from a married man who turns out to be Giorgio. A memorable sequence with the two couples awkwardly having dinner nicely tips its hat to classic American comedies, but later, Leonardo’s sudden transformation into a ladies’ man contributes to a nagging cartoonishness. Lensing, like the cast, the extras and the chic Milan locations, is eye-catching.
