La siciliana ribelle

As I have always said, and as I always will, WHO, better the Italians, cook pasta OR speak about mafia, true, genuine mafia, from the small villages in Sicily, Sardinia, or even big cities such as Naples or Rome? Like Russians talking about Gulag or Tchernobyl disaster; who better than them? No one. So, back to this Italian film, I don't compare it with those polizzotescos - pure Italian crime flicks that spread in the seventies - where mafia was mostly - not always though - shown thru endless gunfights with machine guns and car chases, movies destined to saturday evening red necks - or not - audiences. No, this one belongs to another category, the movies describing the mafia thru the eyes of the common people and the police force who fought against the "octopuss". Those movies were mostly directed by the likes of Francesco Rosi, Damiano Damiani, Pasquale Squieteri, very gloomy and downbeat stories. Because so close to real facts, real history. This one makes no exception, it is very well done in every way; yes, Italians are real professionals when they speak of mafia. More than they make westerns....

Rita Mancuso, 11, born in Sicily gets the afflictive experience of watching her father, respected Don Michele shot by a rival mafia family. This inflicts greater incorrigible wound in her heart thus insisting on execution of her fathers criminals out of the reputation and weight her regal family carried. 7 years later when the plan hatched by her brother to avenge their father's death goes futile resulting in the murder of brother, she offers her help to law to satisfy her personal vendetta. From here on follows the story of Rita raging a war against the mafia based on true story.

Languishing in my hard disk for over a year I finally caught up with this Italian/Sicilian movie. The movie shot in picturesque Italy with distinctive roads, artistic houses and Corleone-esq feel is symbolical of the situation at the time. The movie premise is 1985-92 during which there was collective negligence by the government towards the region and hence it culminated the dominance of Don mafia.According to the true events I read later, the movie for most part stays true to the events occurred in reality. Although there isn't much startling about the movie or it's revelations, its intriguing to trace the path of a lone girl against a huge empire. What's also very interesting is the development of Rita in the movie, as she is shown a egoistical, domineering proud Sicilian at first. When she approaches the law to punish the mafia, she tells them she is offering her services and not asking for help. She is shown as this fiery character who listens to nobody as fixes on the notion that she should carry forward her great family legacy and avenge the murder. Later when the things comes to light about her family, she finds it difficult to understand her existence, she thinks the prosecutor is the only guy who understands her. This transformation of Rita is what I found most enjoyable, yet it had it's shortcomings.

The one major flaw of the movie was the cast, for me the role of Rita needed extreme aggressiveness and had to be overtly bold. Here in some parts the actress Veronica D'Agostino lacked/underplayed the portrayal. Also the aforementioned actresses either never looked 17(character age) or Sicilian age suspiciously faster. The supporting cast of Gérard Jugnot,Lucia Sardo played their role according to the story. Also I liked the small scene shot outside Colosseum.

A very interesting movie and a definite watch if you have two minds about it.

This mafia revenge story might have been a good film but, a weak script and some horrendous acting render it with the kiss of death. As a child young Rita witnesses her father's cold blooded murder at the hands of a rival mafia clan. Years later in an attempt to bring justice she seeks the assistance of the district prosecutor and is placed in a witness protection program in Rome.

While strolling the Colosseum she feels she is being followed. Moments later she encounters the stranger and shortly after is calmly chatting with him soon they are dating. It is mindless and ridiculous instances like this that completely undermine any credibility in this tale. Her life has been threatened but, somehow it's okay to strike up a budding romance with some guy in Rome.

Much later Rita is placing phone calls home from her Rome apartment not terrific thinking if you value your life and your enemies can easily be tapping the lines. Aside from many flaws within the story the biggest fault with this film was the casting of Veronica D'Agostino in the title role.

Ms. D'Agostino is an acting neophyte and it shows with every over the top glare and pained expression she delivers. In her attempt to appear indignant her face contorts in such odd fashions she looks somewhere between constipated and deranged, or both. She is capable of one note throughout the entire film, anger. In fact you get the feeling that the love interest she encounters in Rome was probably created to develop another more uplifting shade to her on screen demeanor.

A good actress would hold the picture together and elevate the weak material by giving the viewer someone to care about. The Sicilian Girl suffers from wretched acting, poor writing and should be swimming with the fishes and not in your cue.

Someone tells you one word: "Sicily". Quick, quick, what do you think? you think of Godfather scenes, of rolling rural landscapes, societies scarred by vendettas and inter-family violence, closeups of old rugged facial lineaments, scenes of emigration on rural lifestyle.

Now, the true Sicily is much different, with modern office buildings, people holding cell phones and having business meetings, and a much more urban society.

For a motion picture financed and produced just a few years ago, and supposedly on a modern story, this production was a disappointment. Totally stereotypical. I mean, Antonioni's "L'Avventura" from forty years earlier looks much more modern.

Obviously, the producers wanted to create a cash cow and sell it to the American audience, still nostalgic of the GF series. Smart movie-goers can easily see through the facade, and not like this production. The producers think that the audience is stupid enough to see their stereotypical work.

If you want to see a motion picture that portrays modern Italy with its crime-ridden background, see Gomorrah.

One of the reviewers (from Minneapolis) said "bad choice of casting the leading actress prone to overacting." Nope. Growing in a NY Neapolitan/Sicilian neighborhood, I didn't see her overacting. That's just the way my BFFs were. Dramatic. Passionate. Over the top. I found her performance an honest portrayal. (And laughed at the scene where the cop buys her colorful clothes, b/c everyone in NY, Sicilian or not...wears black.) PS: My family visited Sicily the year this trial took place. I remember the guards w/Uzis both out side the Palace of Justice and in the airport.

And I'd give this movie an 8.5.