Several lonely hearts in a semi-provincial suburb of a town in Denmark use a beginner's course in Italian as the platform to meet the romance of their lives. The film, which unspools the connections and family drama shared between the students, complies with several aesthetic principles of Dogme 95 movement.
Scherfig, who has had a successful career in TV, tackles more than she can handle.
– Jeff Strickler,
Minneapolis Star Tribune,
6 Nov 2002
fresh:
An engaging Danish movie that rises from the ashes of loneliness and despair to spread feelings of happiness across the screen.
– Robert Denerstein,
Denver Rocky Mountain News,
9 Aug 2002
fresh:
A rarity: a humane picture about modern romance among believable adults.
– Michael Wilmington,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jul 2002
fresh:
[Scherfig] has made a movie that will leave you wondering about the characters' lives after the clever credits roll.
– Roger Moore,
Orlando Sentinel,
28 Mar 2002
fresh:
The combination of lightness and strictness in this instance gives Italian for Beginners an amiable aimlessness that keeps it from seeming predictably formulaic.