Review by John Delia, Sr.
It’s a funny little comedy called Let Yourself Go! (“Lasciati Andareâ€), but what makes it stand out are the delightful performances by Toni Servillo and Veronica Echegui. It has a well-balanced comedy duo that keeps you wanting more of this ‘insane’ romp in Rome. If you are looking for a good dinner and show, then search out the movie Let Yourself Go!.
The psychologist Elia Venezia (Toni Servillo) has a good business with patients wanting to get to a normal life. He’s has had a long career and he’s about to find out what it like to drop to a low point. His wife Giovanna (Carla Signoris), who had a similar career, has separated from Elia due to his intent devotion to his job and even his son has become distant. Wanting to get on with his life and change for the better, he gets a suggestion that joining a fitness center will get him in shape both physically and mentally.
He has tried to dedicate himself to the workouts, but he’s starting to think twice about it. One day during a 30 minute steam bath, Claudia (Veronica Echegui), a gorgeous personal trainer shows up in the bath while trying to avoid her boss. Shocked, Elia tries to find out what she is doing there, but the crafty Claudia evades the question. Instead she turns the conversation into an invitation for him to use her as his private personal trainer.
He takes a chance on her and the movie becomes a very funny situation comedy with a lot of misunderstandings. Director Francesco Amato keeps his event filled comedy straight, then makes it a little daring and finally turns it into a wacky free for all. I love the chase scene that takes place on foot with Elia and Claudia running from her ex sweetheart, their discussion on the subject of homosexuality, Claudia’s definition of ‘superego’ and Caudia’s fight in the pizza restaurant with her ex-bosses wife. There are many more sight gags, pratfalls and even some surprises you won’t see coming.
Keeping all the comedy in check, Toni Servillo plays Elia the proverbial straight man who takes all the punches and finds himself the subject of an innocent bystander. He starts out as a serious guy who want to do good for his patients until Claudia comes along and turns straight laced Elia into her babysitter, husband stand-in, complicit jewel thief, and much more. You may have seen Toni Servillo in the starring role of the film The Great Beauty. It won an Oscar and Golden Globe in 2014 for Best Foreign Language Film.
But the movie doesn’t rise to the top without Veronica Echegui as the crafty streetwise Claudia a high energy personal trainer and mother of an eight year old firebug. Inquisitive, impatient, and incredibly innocent looking, the artful dodger knows how to control Elia, until she finds out her own weakness. It sends her on a downward spiral that’s headed for a dead-end that only Elia can help her avoid. She keeps her character full of life and spirit from her opening scene to the wacky finale.
Let Yourself Go! (â€Lasciati Andareâ€) has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains language, comic violence and a few quick scenes of sexuality. The movie spools out in Italian with English subtitles. There’s one thing about the Italian language it takes a lot of words to make a sentence, but that’s a good thing as it gives the audience more time to read them.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A very good comedy with enjoyable performances. (4 out of 5 Stars)
Additional Film Information
Cast: Toni Servillo, Veronica Echegui, Carla Signoris, Luca Marinelli
Directed by: Francesco Amato
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 1 hr. 42 min.
Release Date: March 2, 2018
Distributed by: Menemsha Films
Released in: Italian (with English subtitles)