An Almost Ordinary Summer

Year: 2019

Runtime: 100 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Simone Godano

Comedy

Two families meet for a marriage that neither want, and things take a turn when the respective patriarchs fall in love.

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On the sun‑kissed Italian coast, a rented guesthouse becomes the unlikely backdrop for a holiday that promises more than just late‑summer relaxation. Two families—one led by a widowed patriarch and the other by the free‑spirited owner of the villa—converge under the pretense of celebrating a marriage that none of them truly desire. The setting, with its pastel‑washed façades and languid sea breezes, sets a tone that is simultaneously intimate and slightly off‑kilter, inviting the characters to confront what lies beneath polite conversation.

Carlo, the stoic widower, has kept a secret plan to wed Toni, the bohemian landlord whose unconventional lifestyle contrasts sharply with the orderly world Carlo has built for his children. Their connection, hinted at through quiet glances and lingering moments, adds a layer of unspoken tension to the seaside retreat, suggesting that love can bloom in the most unexpected of places. As the adults navigate their own reservations, the vacation home becomes a micro‑cosm where personal histories and hidden desires surface.

The adult children bring their own perspectives to the mix. Sandro, Carlo’s conservative son, arrives with a sense of duty that clashes with his father’s newfound openness. Penny, Toni’s sharp‑tongued daughter, guards a fierce protectiveness over her family’s legacy, while her mother Giulietta offers a calculating, yet caring, counsel that reflects a lifetime of safeguarding inheritance. Meanwhile, Diego, the younger sibling, watches the unfolding drama with a blend of curiosity and unease, embodying the bridge between generations. Their interactions are tinged with humor, irritation, and an undercurrent of yearning for acceptance.

The film’s mood balances the languid beauty of a seaside summer with the simmering unease of unvoiced expectations. Through sun‑drenched meals, lingering looks across the pool, and the occasional charged silence, “An Almost Ordinary Summer” paints a portrait of families redefining themselves amid shifting loyalties. It invites viewers to wonder how love—whether romantic, familial, or self‑directed—might reshape relationships when the boundaries of tradition are gently, yet inexorably, challenged.

Last Updated: November 25, 2025 at 14:48

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows an older protagonist who, after years of conforming to societal or familial norms, decides to live truthfully. This act creates significant upheaval, forcing characters to confront deep-seated prejudices and reassess their relationships. The journey is as much about the protagonist's liberation as it is about the family's gradual, often difficult, evolution toward acceptance.

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