We Can Do That (2008) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film is primarily set in Milan during 1983, in the aftermath of Italy's Basaglia Law that closed state psychiatric hospitals. The story follows Cooperative 180, a work cooperative for former psychiatric patients. Later, the cooperative expands to Paris when they win a contract to decorate stations on a new underground line.

• milan
• paris
• cooperative 180
• setting
• italy

The story is set in 1983, during Italy's early 1980s deinstitutionalization era. This was a period of significant social experimentation following the Basaglia Law, which shifted psychiatric care from hospital containment to community-based rehabilitation models.

• 1983
• 1980s
• basaglia law
• deinstitutionalization
• italy
• time period

Cooperative 180 is a work cooperative formed in Milan for former psychiatric patients after Italy's state hospitals closed. Led by Nello, a trade unionist turned director, it aims to empower patients by giving them real work and creative roles rather than just sedation and institutional care. The cooperative undertakes various projects, including artistic work that helps fund their operations.

• cooperative 180
• work rehabilitation
• mental health
• social reform
• milan

The Basaglia Law refers to Italy's psychiatric reform of 1978, which closed state-run mental hospitals and released thousands of patients into the community. The film depicts the challenges and experiments that followed, as society sought new ways to support people with psychiatric conditions through integration, work, and creative participation rather than institutionalization.

• basaglia law
• psychiatric reform
• deinstitutionalization
• italian mental health law

Nello, played by Claudio Bisio, is a trade unionist who becomes the director of Cooperative 180. Determined to empower former psychiatric patients through work rather than sedation, he pushes his charges to develop skills and engage with the world. His ambitious methods sometimes exact a heavy personal cost, and he must navigate internal resistance, ethical questions about treatment, and personal doubt as tragedy tests his leadership.

• nello
• claudio bisio
• cooperative leader
• protagonist
• trade unionist

Gigio, played by Andrea Bosca, is an artistically gifted patient whose talent helps the cooperative win contracts and gain recognition. His creative abilities contribute significantly to the cooperative's early success. However, his personal story takes a tragic turn when a house party incident exposes harsh social stigma, leading to his suicide, a pivotal event that tests the cooperative's leadership and collective purpose.

• gigio
• andrea bosca
• artist
• patient
• tragedy
• suicide

Gigio, an artistically talented patient at Cooperative 180, falls for Caterina. At a house party, her friends mock their relationship, exposing the harsh social stigma surrounding the cooperative and its members. Heartbroken by this judgment, Gigio commits suicide. This devastating event becomes a catalyst that tests the cooperative's leadership, accountability, and collective purpose, though the group ultimately recovers and continues its mission.

• gigio
• suicide
• tragedy
• social stigma
• caterina
• party incident

A central tension in the film involves reducing drug dosages and promoting autonomous functioning for the patients. Dr. Del Vecchio initially opposes scaling back treatment, embodying medical conservatism and concern for patient safety. Meanwhile, Dr. Furlan and European funding support new methods that prioritize autonomy over sedation. The conflict raises ethical questions about consent, quality of life, and the boundaries between care and control.

• medication
• drug dosages
• autonomy
• care
• dr del vecchio
• dr furlan
• treatment debate

Dr. Del Vecchio, played by Giorgio Colangeli, is a doctor who initially opposes reducing drug dosages for the cooperative's patients. He represents medical conservatism and prioritizes patient safety through traditional treatment approaches. However, he eventually acknowledges the improvements brought by the cooperative's methods, playing a complex role in the tension between traditional care and new reformist approaches.

• dr del vecchio
• doctor
• medical conservative
• treatment
• psychiatry

The film portrays the cooperative as redefining disability as capability, giving patients real work and creative roles that build value and meaning. 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, challenging societal assumptions about their limitations.

• empowerment
• disability
• capability
• social reform
• rehabilitation
• work therapy

Yes, despite the tragedy of Gigio's suicide, the cooperative recovers and continues its mission. The group secures new contracts and reaches new milestones, including the international expansion to Paris where they decorate stations on a new underground line. The story concludes on a hopeful note, showing resilience in the face of setback and demonstrating that the empowerment model achieves tangible success.

• resilience
• recovery
• success
• paris contract
• cooperative expansion
• happy ending

The film explores social stigma through Gigio's love affair and the party incident where Caterina's friends mock their relationship. This harsh judgment from outside the cooperative highlights the difficulties former psychiatric patients face in being accepted by mainstream society. The incident serves as a catalyst for tragedy, illustrating how social rejection can derail attempts at reintegration and empowerment.

• social stigma
• discrimination
• society
• acceptance
• reintegration
• party incident