We Can Do That

We Can Do That

Year: 2008

Runtime: 111 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Giulio Manfredonia

ComedyDrama

The story follows Nello, newly appointed director of a work cooperative for former psychiatric patients left adrift after Italy’s Basaglia Law closed state hospitals. Determined to empower rather than sedate his charges, he pushes them to develop skills and engage with the world, though his ambitious methods sometimes exact a heavy personal cost.

Hopeful
Happy ending
Moderately emotional
Medium intensity
Steady pacing
Simple story

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – We Can Do That (2008)

Explore the full timeline and setting of We Can Do That (2008). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1983

Set in the early 1980s Milan during Italy’s deinstitutionalization era, the film captures a period of social experimentation and reform. It follows the shift from care work to productive labor within Cooperative 180, funded by European sources and driven by a new ethos of empowerment. The narrative also moves toward an international dimension with a Paris project, reflecting cross‑border funding and opportunity.

Location

Milan, Paris

The story unfolds in Milan (1983) amid Italy’s post‑asylum reform era, where a group of patients are organized into Cooperative 180. The city serves as a testing ground for work-based rehabilitation, transforming care into market-oriented tasks and creative projects. The cooperative’s reach eventually extends to Paris, where a contract to decorate stops on a new underground line marks a major expansion.

🌆 Urban Italy 🧩 Social reform 🎭 Italian drama 🏗️ Cooperative movement

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:15

Main Characters – We Can Do That (2008)

Meet the key characters of We Can Do That (2008), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Nello (Claudio Bisio)

A trade unionist who becomes the driving force behind Cooperative 180, steering patients into work rather than just care. He navigates internal resistance, ethical questions about treatment, and personal doubt as tragedy tests his leadership.

🧭 Leadership 🧩 Innovator 🗳️ Social reform

Gigio (Andrea Bosca)

An artistically gifted patient whose talent helps the cooperative win contracts. He falls for Caterina, and the party night becomes a turning point that leads to tragedy. His suicide exposes the fragility beneath the reform movement.

🎨 Artist 💔 Tragedy 🧭 Romantic

Caterina (Maria Rosaria Russo)

The young woman Gigio is drawn to; at a house party, her friends mock the couple, highlighting social stigma. Her dismissive attitude contributes to Gigio’s heartbreak, illustrating how judgment can derail attempts at reintegration.

💬 Social pressure 👗 Class & Judgment

Dr. Del Vecchio (Giorgio Colangeli)

A doctor who opposes reducing drug dosages initially, embodying medical conservatism. He ultimately acknowledges improvements brought by the cooperative, playing a complex role in the tension between care and autonomy.

🧪 Medical ethics 🧠 Authority 🤝 Collaboration

Dr. Federico Furlan (Giuseppe Battiston)

A physician ally who supports the new approach and helps secure European funds, enabling expansion and the Paris project. He acts as a pragmatic bridge between reformist aims and medical oversight.

💶 Funding 🤝 Collaboration 🧬 Rehabilitation

Sara (Anita Caprioli)

Nello’s girlfriend who stays close through the cooperative’s upheavals, offering support and sharing in its late successes despite tensions.

💑 Partner 🧩 Support

Luca (Giovanni Calcagno)

A fellow patient with artistic talent who helps realize the star-floor project. He shares in the cooperative’s milestones and the emotional arc surrounding Gigio’s tragedy.

🧭 Friend 🖌️ Artist

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:15

Major Themes – We Can Do That (2008)

Explore the central themes of We Can Do That (2008), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🤝 Empowerment

The cooperative redefines disability as capability, giving patients real work and creative roles. Nello leads with a democratic, participatory approach, encouraging patients to contribute their strengths. The story frames social reform as a collective journey where people with disabilities become builders of value and meaning.

💊 Care vs. Autonomy

A central tension centers on reducing drug dosages and promoting autonomous functioning. Del Vecchio resists scaling back treatment, while Furlan and EU funding push for new methods. The conflict raises ethical questions about consent, quality of life, and the boundaries between care and control.

🎭 Tragedy & Resilience

Gigio’s love affair and the party incident expose the harsh social stigma surrounding the cooperative. His subsequent suicide acts as a catalyst that tests leadership, accountability, and collective purpose. Despite the tragedy, the group recovers, securing new contracts and continuing its mission.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:15

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Inspiring Community Stories like We Can Do That

Stories of unlikely groups coming together to build something meaningful against systemic challenges.If you enjoyed the cooperative spirit and collective journey in We Can Do That, you'll find similar hope and purpose in these movies. They showcase groups of people building something meaningful together against the odds, focusing on themes of empowerment, social change, and shared victories.

hopefulupliftingearnestdeterminedcommunitytriumphantreflective

Narrative Summary

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Movies in this thread share a core belief in the power of collective action. They mix earnest drama with a hopeful tone, creating an emotionally engaging experience that is both reflective and uplifting, centered on themes of systemic failure and social reintegration.

Movies with Bittersweet Triumphs like We Can Do That

Journeys where hard-won victories are shadowed by profound personal loss.For viewers who appreciated the blend of uplifting achievement and personal tragedy in We Can Do That, this collection features similar stories. These films balance hope with heartbreak, portraying characters who achieve their goals but not without paying a heavy emotional price, resulting in a deeply resonant experience.

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Narrative Summary

The emotional journey follows a positive trajectory—a project succeeds, a community heals—but this upward path is punctuated by a major setback, often a personal tragedy like a death or betrayal. This event tempers the victory, making the finale feel earned and hopeful, yet deeply reflective and bittersweet.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their unique emotional blend: they are fundamentally hopeful stories that are not afraid to confront dark, tragic events. This creates a specific, resonant vibe that is more complex than pure optimism, appealing to viewers who appreciate realism and emotional depth in their dramas.

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