And as if I needed another reason to feel inferior to Rege-Jean Page, he can sing too! This talent was displayed in an impromptu moment in You, Me, and Tuscany, where he provides a rendition of Mario’s Let Me Love You that came as an utter surprise. Naturally, Mr. Page is not the only singing talent in the film, nor would he be the only one to seize an opportunity to showcase that talent. Paired with the live-action embodiment of Ariel herself, Ms. Halle Baily, the two take an old idea and put a new spin on it. You, Me, & Tuscany is an entertaining and enjoyable film that embraces the romance of its location in every possible way. Filmed in Pienza, a town and commune in the province of Siena, Tuscany, in the historical region of Val d’Orcia situated between the towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino, it is considered the “touchstone of Renaissance urbanism”. The location is as vibrant as the story, as I found myself admiring the backdrop as much as the story. I’d never given much thought to the idea of visiting Italy, but if it’s even half as peaceful and inclusive as the film suggests, I wouldn’t be opposed to booking a ticket.
Bailey plays Anna, a free-spirited, albeit impulsive and rudderless young cook who following a personal tragedy has fallen into the habit of living other people’s lives rather than her making one of her own. This ultimately leads her to make a brash decision to become a squatter in an abandoned Tuscan villa owned by a man she barely knows. What can go wrong? Upon being discovered in the villa by the man’s family, and through her unfathomable decision to put on a engagement ring she found in the house, she is mistaken for the man’s fiancé. This naturally leads to a whole new world of adventure, lies, and love, especially when she meets Michael (Page), the homeowner’s cousin.
So, the most important thing that makes the film enjoyable is the chemistry between Bailey’s and Page’s characters. They are two people unable to deny their attraction to one another; however, unable to act on it due to pretense of Anna’s relationship with his cousin/brother. That requires an explanation. Page’s character Michael was adopted by his cousin’s parents at a very young age following the death of his parents. And with that comes all the emotional baggage that is usually indicative of that situation. He clings to the only family he has left, endlessly looking after them to the extent that he has no life outside his family. Knowing something about loss herself, Baily’s character Anna is drawn to Micheal’s loyalty and good-hearted nature. The pair spent quite a bit of time together, and it is evident to everyone who sees them that there is magnetic pull between them. And in there lies the rub; Anna is pretending to be the fiancé of Mateo, the villa owner she had a chance meeting with in New York, who ran away from the expectations of his family in favor of living a different life.
It was the taboo of it all that I think upped the romance factor. Because let’s face it, modern day romances are messy, and that is what the audience is looking for. We love the idea of a couple engaging in moral ambiguity. Look no further than a certain Hulu series that wrapped up this year to prove that. Fortunately, in this film, you get the element of a complicated love story without the characters having to do anything unethical. All of the temptation without questionable actions.
Bailey is great in her role. It’s very organic the way she embraces the impulsiveness, some would call it recklessness, of her character. It makes this a fun watch, as we see her rashness get her into to some crazy situations that no sane person could explain their way out of, and she usually can’t either. This is best shown in the film’s opening scene when she gets fired from her latest housesitting job, for being bold enough to put on her client’s clothes (down to the expensive lingerie) and embody her life down to the tiny little dog.
The film is a complete slam-dunk, as a few of the plot points are predictable, such as the enemies to lovers trope and the cliche pretense used to facilitate Page’s Michael taking off his shirt in a moment that is obviously intended to serve as clickbait for the movie. However, the recurring commentary from the people on the tour bus does make for a funny moment.
All in all, You, Me, and Tuscany is a romantic comedy that I didn’t mind watching, and that is thanks to the chemistry between the leads, as well as a story that revitalized a old premise and made it feel like something new and refreshing, as well as a beautiful backdrop. To early to tell if the movie will win the weekend, and it does have some stiff competition, but I wouldn’t count it out, nor would I be disappointed to hear that it emerged victorious.
