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We Can Do That (2008) movie poster

Timeline

We Can Do That (2008) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2008 · 111 mins · Italian
Directed by
Giulio Manfredonia
Starring
Anita Caprioli, Ariella Reggio, Andrea Bosca, Pietro Ragusa, Bebo Storti, Giovanni Calcagno

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.

Comedy Drama Cast, crew & box office
On this page (4)
  1. 1 Events in order (15)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

15 events in order · contains spoilers

We Can Do That Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of We Can Do That (2008) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Nello is attacked and transferred to Cooperative 180

    In 1983 Milan, Nello, a trade unionist who wrote a book about the market, is severely attacked by his comrades. He is transferred to Cooperative 180, an institution created for patients discharged from mental hospitals under Law 180. He resolves to involve the residents to understand the cooperative spirit.

    When
    1983
    Where
    Milan

  2. Assembly votes to pivot from care work to market

    The residents vote to abandon traditional care tasks and start working as parquet installers. Nello leads a shift toward market-oriented goals, aiming to channel the patients' abilities into production. The decision marks the start of the cooperative's new mission.

    When
    early phase (1983)
    Where
    Cooperative 180

  3. Roles assigned within the cooperative

    Listening to everyone's ideas, the group assigns roles to each patient based on individual traits. The cooperative reorganizes into a market-oriented production team, with members contributing according to strengths. The aim is to exploit diverse talents for the parquet-installation business.

    When
    early phase
    Where
    Cooperative 180

  4. First job reveals inexperience

    After the reorganization, the first job proves challenging due to inexperience. The team makes mistakes but learns from them, strengthening their resolve to improve.

    When
    early phase
    Where
    Milan workshop

  5. Contract with a high-fashion atelier

    The cooperative secures a contract with a prestigious fashion atelier. The residents see an opportunity to prove themselves in a demanding environment. This win marks a turning point for their business prospects.

    When
    soon after first job
    Where
    Milan atelier

  6. Wood shortage on delivery day

    On the delivery deadline, the required wood runs out. Luca and Gigio improvise with scraps to create a decorative star panel that covers the entire floor. The surprising solution earns praise and expands future opportunities.

    When
    delivery deadline
    Where
    Milan workshop

  7. Star panel boosts the cooperative

    The star panel gains admiration and draws in more contracts for the cooperative. The innovative use of waste materials demonstrates their adaptability and creativity.

    When
    shortly after the workshop success
    Where
    Milan

  8. Drug reduction debated; new support emerges

    Nello recognizes the need to taper drug dosages for the patients but faces strong opposition from Dr. Del Vecchio. He begins to rely on Dr. Furlan and EU funds to support their work.

    When
    mid-stage
    Where
    Medical planning / clinic

  9. EU-backed move to a new site

    With Dr. Furlan's help and EU funds, the partners move to a new location to continue their work with reduced drug support. The move marks a new chapter and expansion of their operations.

    When
    after securing funds
    Where
    New site

  10. Gigio and Caterina; party and social tension

    Gigio falls in love with Caterina, who invites him and Luca to a party at her house. Caterina's friends laugh at them, triggering tension and a small fight. The event strains relationships within the group.

    When
    late phase
    Where
    Caterina's house

  11. Police station confrontation

    At the police station, Caterina belittles the group, calling them poor things and downplaying the kiss they shared. The moment foreshadows the emotional collapse that follows.

    When
    after the party
    Where
    Police station

  12. Gigio's suicide and its aftermath

    As a result of the humiliation and the drug-reduction issue, Gigio commits suicide. The event shatters the group and leads to intense self-recrimination, with blame aimed at multiple parties including Del Vecchio.

    When
    aftermath of party
    Where
    Near the police scene

  13. Return to the old site with Del Vecchio's aid

    The patients are moved back to the old site with Del Vecchio's assistance. Nello loses hope, fearing prison, but Del Vecchio's admission of improvements helps clear him. The incident effectively closes the case.

    When
    after Gigio's death
    Where
    Old site

  14. Paris contract reinforces new direction

    The cooperative wins a large contract in Paris to decorate stops on the new underground line. The Paris project represents a significant opportunity and validates their new business direction.

    When
    after old-site incident
    Where
    Paris

  15. Six months later: leadership solidifies

    Six months after starting the Paris project, Nello manages the group more effectively, balancing leadership with his relationship with Sara. Dr. Furlan brings in new partners with disabilities, signaling continued growth and inclusion.

    When
    six months later
    Where
    Paris

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:11

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Timeline questions answered

We Can Do That Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of We Can Do That (2008): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was Nello attacked by his own comrades?

Nello was a trade unionist who had written a book about the market. His comrades severely attacked him, likely due to disagreements with his perspectives or actions as a unionist, resulting in his transfer to Cooperative 180. This violent reaction suggests his ideas were controversial within union circles.

  • Nello attack
  • trade unionist
  • Cooperative 180
  • Law 180
Q2

Why did the residents vote to switch from care work to parquet installation?

Nello encouraged everyone to contribute ideas, and the assembly decided to pivot from traditional care tasks to market-oriented work. They chose parquet installation because it allowed them to channel individual talents into a concrete skill, transforming the cooperative into a production team rather than a passive care facility.

  • parquet installation
  • cooperative
  • market work
  • patients empowerment
Q3

How did the star panel save the contract with the fashion atelier?

When wood supplies ran dry right before the deadline, Luca and Gigio improvised by combining scraps to create a large decorative panel featuring a star that covered the entire floor. This bold creative solution impressed the client and earned widespread praise, actually increasing the cooperative's future workload rather than causing failure.

Foreshadowing: The cooperative's earlier mistakes during their first job hinted at their willingness to adapt despite inexperience.

  • star panel
  • Luca
  • Gigio
  • fashion atelier
  • wood shortage
Q4

Why did Nello want to reduce the patients' medication?

Nello believed that empowering the patients through meaningful work and reduced medication was more effective than sedating them. He saw potential in the residents and wanted them to engage actively with the world rather than being numbed by drugs, viewing empowerment as a path to genuine rehabilitation.

  • drug reduction
  • medication
  • Nello
  • Del Vecchio
  • patients
Q5

Why did Gigio commit suicide after the party?

Gigio fell in love with Caterina, who invited him and Luca to a party. There, her friends mocked and laughed at them, causing humiliation. At the police station, Caterina dismissed Gigio, calling him a poor thing and downplaying the kiss they shared. This combination of romantic rejection, social humiliation, and the emotional strain from the cooperative's challenges, particularly the ongoing drug reductions, overwhelmed him.

Foreshadowing: At the police station, Caterina's dismissive attitude toward Gigio foreshadowed the emotional collapse that would follow.

  • Gigio suicide
  • Caterina
  • party
  • humiliation
  • drug reduction
Q6

Why wasn't Nello charged after Gigio's suicide?

Although Nello feared prison, Dr. Del Vecchio admitted that he had witnessed remarkable improvements in the patients due to the cooperative's work. This testimony cleared Nello of wrongdoing, and the incident was attributed partly to the pressures they faced and Del Vecchio's initial reluctance to collaborate, leading to the case being closed without charges.

  • Nello charges
  • Gigio death
  • Del Vecchio
  • legal outcome
Q7

What was Law 180 and how did it affect the story?

Law 180, also known as the Basaglia Law, was Italian legislation that closed state psychiatric hospitals and discharged patients into the community. This created the need for alternatives like Cooperative 180, where former patients could be placed. The law's intent was to deinstitutionalize mental health care, but it left many patients without proper support structures, which is what Nello's cooperative attempted to address.

  • Law 180
  • Basaglia Law
  • mental hospitals
  • deinstitutionalization
  • Italy
Q8

Why did the cooperative return to the old site after Gigio's death?

After Gigio's suicide, the group was moved back to the old site under Dr. Del Vecchio's supervision. This regression represented a step backward in their progress, returning to the original location symbolized how the tragedy temporarily derailed their ambitious expansion plans.

  • old site
  • Del Vecchio
  • Gigio death
  • return
Q9

What did the Paris underground contract represent for the cooperative?

Winning the contract to decorate stops on Paris's new underground line marked a major milestone that validated their innovative approach. It was a significant international opportunity that proved the former patients could succeed in competitive professional markets, representing the culmination of their journey from a struggling workshop to an internationally recognized business.

  • Paris contract
  • underground
  • international success
  • parquet
Q10

Why did Caterina dismiss Gigio at the police station?

After the fight at Caterina's party, the police brought everyone in. At the station, Caterina downplayed her connection with Gigio, calling him and Luca "poor things" and minimizing the kiss they had shared. Her dismissive reaction likely stemmed from embarrassment about her friends' behavior or a desire to distance herself from the incident, but her coldness profoundly hurt Gigio emotionally.

Foreshadowing: The earlier scene where Caterina's friends laughed at Gigio and Luca established the social rejection that Caterina later reinforced at the police station.

  • Caterina
  • Gigio
  • kiss
  • police station
  • dismissal

Movie threads

More Movies Like We Can Do That, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes We Can Do That tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

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.

  • hopeful
  • uplifting
  • earnest
  • determined
  • community
  • triumphant
  • Tone: hopeful, earnest
  • Pacing: steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves an initial state of disarray or dysfunction within a group, which is then galvanized by a catalyst—often an outsider or a shared goal. The story progresses through setbacks and small wins, ultimately culminating in a significant achievement that validates the community's efforts and solidarity.

Why they belong together: 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.

We Can Do That movie poster

We Can Do That

2008
Americanish movie poster

Americanish

2021
Where Hope Grows movie poster

Where Hope Grows

2015
Tumse Na Ho Payega movie poster

Tumse Na Ho Payega

2023
Hula Girls movie poster

Hula Girls

2007
Seekers of Happiness movie poster

Seekers of Happiness

1936
Vietnam Colony movie poster

Vietnam Colony

1992
Highland Park movie poster

Highland Park

2013

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.

  • bittersweet
  • tragic
  • hopeful
  • uplifting
  • resilient
  • earnest
  • Tone: hopeful, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: 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 they belong together: 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.

Mixed Doubles movie poster

Mixed Doubles

2017
Victory movie poster

Victory

2009
The Hungry Bachelors Club movie poster

The Hungry Bachelors Club

1999
The Final Season movie poster

The Final Season

2007
Heavenly Pursuits movie poster

Heavenly Pursuits

1986
Stage Door movie poster

Stage Door

1937
The Black Orchid movie poster

The Black Orchid

1958
The Restless Years movie poster

The Restless Years

1958

Every angle

We Can Do That (2008) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about We Can Do That in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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