I have a confession: I initially didn't want to watch this movie because of how agressively the creators marketed it. Since late last year, the trailer flooded social media to the point I began wondering why the creators were pushing it so hard. If a movie is good, viewers will rave about it on their own and if it's bad, the critics certainly won't shut up about it for a while.
I suspected that this romcom would be predictable like many others that I had seen. Still I changed my mind after the release largely because of the lead actors—Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page.
You, Me & Tuscany (2026) is marketed as an American romantic comedy written by Ryan Engle and directed by Kat Coiro. It stars Halle Bailey, Regé-Jean Page, Aziza Scott, Marco Calvani and other supporting actors to showcase the beauty of Italy, its hospitality and cuisine.
The opening scene reveals Anna (Halle Bailey) waking up in a lovely apartment. She dresses up in designer clothes and takes her dog for a walk. When she returns, the owner of the apartment is pissed that she wears her clothes and walks her dog. It turns out Anna is not wealthy as you'll think but is a house sitter. She loses the job and runs to her friend, Claire (Aziza Scott), who works at a hotel, begging her for a room to stay because she's broke.
While she's at the hotel bar ordering a burger on friends and family discount, a young Italian man, Matteo, starts a conversation with her. As they talk, she reveals her plans to visit Italy with her mother but sadly, her mother passed away before they could make the trip. Matteo encourages her to travel and enjoy the scenes and sights, revealing that he has a villa there.
Taking this as a sign and against Claire's warning, Anna travels to Tuscany. There's a summer festival going on and all the hotels are filled so she doesn't get a place to stay. Then she remembers Matteo has an unoccupied villa so she goes and stays there. Matteo's family meets her in the morning so to avoid being arrested, she quickly makes up the story of being Matteo's fiancée. Does the family believe Anna? How will she get out of the mess?
My Review And Rating
As I earlier pointed out, this movie follows the same pattern of many romcoms that I have watched. The plot is predictable and the storytelling is done in a way that we already know how it ends. But what makes this movie bearable is the charm of the charismatic lead actors and the beautiful Italian scenery. I think the director knows this and puts a good amount of effort into showcasing spectacular countryside landscapes and cool scenery. The visuals and transitions are smooth and sleek. Every scene coupled with the romance and soundtracks make the movie feel like a fairy tale.
Apart from enjoying the beautiful setting, I spent much of the runtime noticing holes in the story and moments that are unrealistic in every scene such as the family believing Anna's story about being Matteo's fiancée and how quickly they accept her into the family. I don't like how the characters, especially Anna, make rash decisions as though consequence is not a thing.
Also, the movie delivers fairly on romance but the comedy is absent in my opinion. Then again, movies like this aren't meant to mirror real life perfectly. They are a fantasy, and sometimes a little escape into this world is okay.
The acting is good, thanks to the lead stars who elevate this movie a bit with their charisma. Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean are good together as a couple and their chemistry is convincing. Other supporting actors did great too. I like Lorenzo (Marco Calvani), the cab driver, Claire (Aziza Scott) and Isabella (Desirèe Pöpper). They bring a good dose of fun, warmth and lightheartedness to the movie.
Rating this movie, I'd give it a 6 stars out of 10. So if you want a nice weekend watch, check this one. Or if you enjoy romcoms and travelling, you'll love this movie mostly because of the beautiful scenery and the display of luscious food.
All images above are screenshots from the movie
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