Johnny Stecchino (1991)
Good hearted but not very wordly-wise, Dante is happy driving the school bus for a group of mentally handicapped children, while feeling he is somehow missing out on life and love. So he is very excited when after nearly being knocked down by her car he meets Maria, who seems immediately enamoured of him. He is soon invited to her sumptuous Palermo villa, little suspecting that this is part of a plot. He bears an amazing likeness to Maria's stool-pigeon gangster husband and it would be convenient for them if the mobster, in the shape of Dante, was seen to be dead and buried.
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Memorable, crazy movie
hyped garbage
At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
The film may be flawed, but its message is not.
...for see it. first, the lovely use of the legacy of old fashion tradition. the second, the genius of Roberto Benigni. not the last , Nicoletta Braschi. not the less , Palermo. and the predictable parts and the crumbs from Charlot , the romanticism and Italian spices. one of comedies who are more than humor, entertainment or moral lesson. but a trip across yourself. because the gift of Benigni is to tell, in smart manner, not a story but the story about his public. this film is a good example.
A naive and shy school bus driver is a perfect match to a Mafioso who is wanted dead. Stecchino, his nickname, or Toothpick, is invited to Sicily for a holiday. The plan is to exploit the physical likeness of the two for killing him, so the Mafioso can take advantage of the others believing him dead...I think this is an excellent movie. I found it utterly hilarious, perhaps one of the funniest Italian movies ever. Of course the language is Italian, but there is the edition with English subtitles. But!!!... you gotta watch it in Italian. English subtitles totally spoil all the fun of the movie, and the jokes can NOT be translated. I don't recommend it to those who don't understand Italian.
7/10 I thoroughly recommend this film. Some jokes may go over the head of non-Italian speakers but it shouldn't really ruin your enjoyment of a classic Benigni film. My favourite scene was when "lo zio" (the uncle) was driving Dante back from Palermo train station and explaining the problems of Sicilian life to him - I nearly p*****d myself!
I found this one night on the cable. Recognized Benigni so I decided to try it. I haven't laughed so hard since the first time I saw Peter Sellers in The Party. I love finding little jewels like this. What a pleasant surprise.