''That's Life'' ( it, Così è la vita) is a 1998 Italian
comedy
Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term ori ...
film directed by
Aldo, Giovanni & Giacomo
Aldo, Giovanni & Giacomo are an Italian trio of comedians, actors, directors and screenwriters, composed of Aldo Baglio (; born 28 September 1958), Giovanni Storti (; born 20 February 1957) and Giacomo Poretti (; born 26 April 1956). Perfo ...
and
Massimo Venier
Massimo Venier (born 26 March 1967) is an Italian film director and screenwriter.
Filmography
*'' Three Men and a Leg'' (1997)
*'' That's Life'' (1998)
*''Ask Me If I'm Happy'' (2000)
*''The Legend of Al, John and Jack'' (2002)
*'' Do You Know C ...
.
Plot
Aldo Baglio is detained for forgery of credit cards and has befriended his large cellmate Crapanzano; Giacomo Poretti is an upstanding police office that dreams of becoming a writer and lives with her sister's family, by which he is treated like an unwanted guest; Giovanni Storti is a children's toy inventor who is not loved by his wife, Elena. One morning, Aldo needs to be escorted to the courthouse. The designated police officers are Giacomo and his colleague Antonio. However, Giacomo is left alone by Antonio who goes to meet Elena instead, the latter cheating on Giovanni. During the drive, Aldo accidentally finds a gun in the glove compartment and decide to hijack the vehicle. Simultaneously, Giovanni's car is stolen under his eyes, so he stops Giovanni's police car that was passing by, ending up being taken hostage, too.
After a long and adventurous journey, the three are found by the police. After a chase, the car falls from a cliff, but they miraculously manage to save themselves. Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo spend the night in an abandoned cemetery, where they meet Clara, a woman Aldo falls in love with. The three hitchhike back to Milan, when they realise they actually died in the car crash. Giovanni finds out that his newly widowed wife has an unfaithful relationship with Antonio, while Giacomo discovers that his room has been already rented out and all his possessions, including the book he was working on for a long time, had been thrown away.
Clara reveals herself as an
angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles inc ...
and, together with Aldo, helps the two take revenge before accompanying them to heaven.
Cast
*
Aldo Baglio as Aldo/Al
*
Giovanni Storti as Giovanni/John
*
Giacomo Poretti
Aldo, Giovanni & Giacomo are an Italian trio of comedians, actors, directors and screenwriters, composed of Aldo Baglio (; born 28 September 1958), Giovanni Storti (; born 20 February 1957) and Giacomo Poretti (; born 26 April 1956). Perfo ...
as Giacomo/Jack
*
Marina Massironi
Marina Massironi (born 16 May 1963) is an Italian actress. She appeared in more than twenty films since 1987.
Selected filmography
Awards
* David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Bread and Tulips
''Bread and Tul ...
as Clara
*
Antonio Catania
Antonio Catania (born 22 February 1952) is an Italian actor.
Life and career
Born in Acireale, Province of Catania, Antonio Catania studied acting at the Drama School of the Piccolo Teatro in Milan. After the graduation he started an intense ...
as Catanìa
* Big Jimmy as Crapanzano
* Elena Giusti as Elena, Giovanni's wife
*
Augusto Zucchi as Police Commissioner
* Carlina Torta as Giacomo's sister
*
Francesco Pannofino
Francesco Pannofino (born 14 November 1958) is an Italian actor and voice actor.
Biography
Born in Pieve di Teco, Pannofino's parents originated from Locorotondo. Sometime after 1972, he and his family moved to Rome. He began his career in the 1 ...
as Giacomo's brother in law
* Fabio Biaggi as Giacomo's nephew
* Mohamed El Sayed as Gaber
* Cesare Gallarini as Carmine
* Fabrizio Amachree as Platone
* Giovanni Cacioppo as man with broken car
* Bobby Rhodes as Sheriff
Box office
The film was the fourth highest grossing film of the year despite only being released during December. It went on to gross over $30 million in Italy.
Accolades
References
External links
*
{{Massimo Venier
1998 comedy films
1998 films
Films directed by Massimo Venier
Italian comedy films
1990s Italian-language films