When a suburban mom (Toni Collette) inherits a long-lost relative’s criminal empire, it opens the door for a crazy series of events. This not-always-comfortable mix of crime, gore, humour and female empowerment points out the dangers of trying to tie together too many disparate themes at the same time.
Kristin (Toni Collette) is a woman who gives everything to others, leaving very little for herself. She is tied to a job that has no respect for her and a deadbeat husband that takes full advantage of her good nature. Her one shining light, a teenage son has just flown the coop to go to college.
Into this situation drops the news of her distant grandfather’s passing away and her being summoned to Italy to take over the running of the family business. She meets Bianca played by the sadly underutilised Monica Bellucci who clues her in on the fact the family business is crime.
As Kristin is almost immediately drawn into a world of peril, she becomes empowered by her survival instinct and ability to defend herself from physical harm. Numerous running jokes are quite endearing and all roads lead to a madcap ending in the best tradition of an Italian farce but the lack of focus defuses some of the fun.
Rob Hudson
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