Watching this lauded but fatally slight comedy of manners about a middle-aged Italian who finds himself caring for four spunky old dames, it's hard to believe writer, director, and star Gianni Di Gregorio also co-wrote the bloody mafia hit "Gomorrah."
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
60
80
The semi-improvised performances and gently nostalgic tone makes this endearing and captivating.
75
It’s a trifle, but a trifle that sticks.
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) by Liam Lacey
Everything about Mid-August Lunch is simple and unpretentious, from the black-out scene transitions to the folk-dance score, as the four isolated, elderly women, over a couple of days and meals, become a circle of companions.
90
The New York Times by Stephen Holden
A slender Chekhovian vignette about the joys and regrets of old age and the pleasures of sociability.
88
The movie is a perfect blend of calm execution and uninflected farce.