Product Description

In the comic flavor of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Maria and Gino's Italian world is shattered when their son decides to get a place of his own. They are relieved when Angelo's childhood buddy Nino decides to move in with their son. However, their relief is short-lived when they find out that Nino and Angelo are more than just roommates—they're lovers! And then the fun really begins! Stars Paul Sorvino (Bulworth), Luke Kirby (Halloween: The Resurrection).

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19537 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-02-17
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 89 minutes

Amazon.com
Set in the Little Italy neighborhood of Montreal, Mambo Italiano is a fresh and enjoyable take on gay relationships. After reconnecting with an estranged childhood friend, Angelo (Luke Kirby) discovers that he and Nino (Peter Miller) have more in common than just their Italian heritage and suffocating families. After they move in together, Angelo finds that he can't stand being in the closet any longer--but Nino, who's a cop and much more attached to passing as straight, resists. After Angelo tells his parents (Ginette Reno and Paul Sorvino), their lives explode and Angelo discovers that coming out may cost him everything he held dear. The emphasis on ethnic humor threatens to turn Mambo Italiano into My Big Gay Italian Wedding, but the clever writing, sprightly performances, and inventive direction keep the movie consistently unpredictable and funny. Also featuring Claudia Ferri as Angelo's neurotic sister. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

Sweet, sad, funny and over the top!
"Mambo Italiano" is a sweet movie about an Italian family having to deal with their gay son as he comes out to them. It's also a sad movie about a mother that cannot deal with her son's homosexuality and a son that denies his passion for men in order to please society. It's also a funny movie that plays on all the stereotypes of gays and Italians (yes, unfortunately stereotypes do draw laughs.)

The thing I like about this film is the fact that not everybody gets a happy ending. Two gay men and their respective families end up in two different paths. One is the path of honesty, honor, pride and love while the other is the path of shame, guilt, pretense and hypocrisy. Such are the two main paths in life and I am glad they were pronounced in the film.

The thing that bothered me was that the movie tried hard to be Italian! Over-the-top performances by the parents were at times embarrassing to even watch on the screen.

The most powerful scene in this film, in my opinion, is the scene where Angelo confronts his parents and the mother of his lover, Nino, about their denial and selfishness in trying to prevent him from living his life. This is a scene that will resonate with all of us, gay or straight.

I recommend that you see it with a loved one so you can share the laughs, the tears and the love.

My Big Fat [Homosexual] Gay Life!
I read some reviews about this film when it was released that called it the [homosexual] "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". And while it plays a little too heavily on the Italian-american stereotype, it is a charming film about a young man coming to terms with who he is and his neurotic family's response.

Angelo is a nice young man who was always picked on in school, even by his one-time closest friend, Nino. As adults, Nino and Angelo are reunited and become lovers. Everything is perfect for the young couple until Angelo decides he wants to come out to his family. Once Nino's mother finds out, things begin to unhinge. It is easy to root for the once ostracized Angelo, who always took the abuse of others while keeping his sexual orientation private. Anyone who has felt outcast or different in their lives will be able to understand his situation and determination to live his life honestly and openly.

This is not a perfect film but it does have its touching moments and enough laughs to keep you interested. Though I didn't like it as much as "Greek Wedding", I still think it is worth watching.

Heartwarming Comedy Italian Style
Mambo Italiano is first and foremost a comedy about the gay, Italian-(North)American experience. It's main premise centers around the all important Italian family dynamic making the family proud and being proud of the family even in times of conflict - which can be quite frequent. The characters of this comedy start as stereotypes but ultimately are very real people. The performances by the actors are uniformly strong. The film overall deals with very real, very serious issues of coming out gay in a straight, unaccepting environment. But the film is first a comedy that deals with these issues with outrageous humor. The movie sticks to task and remains tight. Unlike other recent hit indi ethnic dramas, Mambo does not rely on a "wedding device" to pull at your heart and draw you in. It entertains and touches by depict a real family dealing with real issues with great humor. Lastly the lush, technicolor set designs are enough reason to see this film, but it remains a must for any gay, Italian-North American or for anyone who loves being part of a family.