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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Guided by the firm’s trusted consigliere (Monica Bellucci), she hilariously defies everyone’s expectations, including her own, as the new head of the family business.

Mafia Mamma will be released in Aussie cinemas April 13.

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The feeling lingers that they started with an overall direction for the Craig films but ended up taking too many diversions along the way. Some of the reveals are far from the surprise the filmmakers intended. Also extending the realism and casting Bond as more human and less the gadget guy has worked with only half of the four films. This sombre realism worked well with Casino Royale and Skyfall, less so with Quantum of Solace and Spectre.

Even though Craig is contracted for one more film in the franchise, there is a feeling of finality that is hard to shake. It starts with the opening credits that make far too many references to previous characters and extends to the more than ample number of scenes when Bond just seems resigned to his fate. Can’t the guy ever catch a break?

In a strange way, the film demands another viewing as you get over the slightly disappointing way the story unfolds first time around. There might be some detail or nuance that becomes apparent second time around that will make the experience richer. It also might be in the producers interest to agree to Craig’s stated preference to call it a day after the forth. Here’s to hoping that they are brave enough to really shake up the franchise with both storyline and casting next time around.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/SonyPicturesAUS

The feeling lingers that they started with an overall direction for the Craig films but ended up taking too many diversions along the way. Some of the reveals are far from the surprise the filmmakers intended. Also extending the realism and casting Bond as more human and less the gadget guy has worked with only half of the four films. This sombre realism worked well with Casino Royale and Skyfall, less so with Quantum of Solace and Spectre.

Even though Craig is contracted for one more film in the franchise, there is a feeling of finality that is hard to shake. It starts with the opening credits that make far too many references to previous characters and extends to the more than ample number of scenes when Bond just seems resigned to his fate. Can’t the guy ever catch a break?

In a strange way, the film demands another viewing as you get over the slightly disappointing way the story unfolds first time around. There might be some detail or nuance that becomes apparent second time around that will make the experience richer. It also might be in the producers interest to agree to Craig’s stated preference to call it a day after the forth. Here’s to hoping that they are brave enough to really shake up the franchise with both storyline and casting next time around.

Rob Hudson
www.007.com