I’m going to be straight up with you; my expectations for Solo Mio were incredibly low. Kevin James, an actor who has rarely done much for me; an Italian-set romcom that sounds like one of those paid vacations James’ buddy Adam Sandler does so often; and finally, the script was co-written by James himself. Not much to get excited about, honestly. And yet, James shocked me with a surprisingly sweet, scenic tour of both Rome and a wounded man’s path back to love. If this film doesn’t make you want to run out and book your own Italian vacation, your heart must be made of stone.
James plays Matt Taylor, the kind of guy we saw him play for years on The King of Queens. He’s a well-meaning, likable, if unextraordinary dude; an art teacher who deeply loves his girlfriend, Heather (Julie Ann Emery), a fellow teacher. We see just how happy their relationship is, with Matt always doing things for her at work, to the delight of both Heather and the students. When he finally proposes, the kids are all part of the event. However, when the big wedding day arrives in Italy, Heather doesn’t even show up, leaving Matt alone at the altar. What happened? Where did she go? Why did she leave him? Destroyed, and confused beyond belief, Matt reaches out to her emphatically. She needs space, time to be alone and think. Maybe there’s hope? Maybe she’ll come back? But wait, they have this expensive honeymoon suite and a fancy Italian vacation planned. What’s the guy to do? The hotel manager suggests that Matt should just go on the honeymoon himself and enjoy one of the most romantic places in the entire world.
Sounds like a nightmarish idea to me, but what’s a guy to do? Italian honeymoons ain’t cheap.
Solo Mio takes some time figuring out what kind of movie it wants to be, and it doesn’t start off positively at all. As Matt wanders around Italy in a daze, partaking in the couples activities all by himself and looking kinda like a creep, the film paints him as a bumbling sad sack. James, no stranger to physical comedy, also seems unsure how to play the character. He’s a bit too oafish to be sympathetic in the early going, and the “happy” couploes he’s meeting along the way (played by Alyson Hannigan, Kim Coates, Jonathan Roumie, and Julee Cerda) are more irritating than funny.
However, Solo Mio finds its groove withi the introduction of the effervescent Nicole Grimaudo as Gia, an Italian native and cafe owner who takes a liking to Matt. Instantly, they hit it off. He’s a goofy fish out of water and she can’t help but want to help the big lug. But Matt is still hurting, and isn’t sure how to navigate his feelings. Fortunately, fate keeps bringing Matt and Gia together until hope begins to burn in him that maybe there’s a second chance at love, after all. Unfortunately, Gia doesn’t know everything there is to know about Matt and why he’s in Italy to begin with.
The simple portrayal of Matt and Gia’s growing bond is such a charmer, it’s impossible not to root for them to be together. They crack jokes meant only for the two of them, she fixes his horrible attempts at the language, he says things that only an American would understand, but they always figure it out and find a way to laugh at their mistakes. Most importantly, they just seem like two people who really enjoy one another’s company, which is a stark contrast to Matt’s friends are more angry than happy. It must be said that James and Grimaudo have remarkable chemistry, and they seem to get better as the film goes along, kind of like how a real romance should work.
Filmmakers Chuck and Dan Kinnane have a background in documentaries, and it shows. Solo Mio is like the ultimate travelogue, highlighting Italy’s gorgeous architecture, the electric nightlife, the endless vineyards, the quaint cafes amid a bustling tourist destination. All of the things that make this the ultimate European paradise. The entire cast seem to be having a blast, and it’s easy to understand why. This must’ve been the most relaxing shoot ever.
I’m not going to sit here and act like Solo Mio is great or anything. It’s still quite formulaic and a bit uneven in tone, and only really work when James and Grimaudo are together. But that proves to be more than enough, and I’d happily watch them fall in love all throughout Italy again, all the while dreaming that I may get there myself someday.
Solo Mio is open in theaters now from Angel Studios.
