Parents' Guide to

To Rome with Love

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Allen lauds Rome in neurotic but teen-friendly comedy.

Movie R 2012 111 minutes
To Rome with Love Poster Image

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age 16+

Based on 2 parent reviews

colten97
colten97 Parent of 13-year-old
October 11, 2012
age 17+

Thank you Woody and long life!!!

It's the most laughable film that Woody Allen made late years. I love and seen all his works and he is my favorite director exactly. "To Rome with love" is remarkable situation comedy and Woody Allen have always done similar films with peculiar brilliance and charm. I seem I laughed in a theater louder than everybody. Woody Allen as always a great, witty and in his fine creative form. I have been very glad to see his on a screen and his performance with Judy Davis was one of the most funny in that beautiful movie. Almost many thanks to Woody for luxurious cast, particularly for Ornella Muti and Roberto Benigni. For me "To Rome with love" is the best comedy this summer that raised my mood to the cosmic heights. Thank you Woody and long life.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Shivom Oza
Shivom Oza Adult
September 6, 2012
age 14+

To Rome With Love (2012) Review by Shivom Oza – Vintage Woody, Benigni And Baldwin!

Woody Allen films do not have the ‘perfect’ narrative. The screenplay isn’t always logical, so to speak. The performances can go a bit over-the-top at times too. However, it is the charm that the director brings to his films. No one can capture a picturesque city as beautifully as Allen does. The way his ‘Match Point’ encapsulated London’s elegance, ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ emanated the serenity of the Spanish locations and ‘Midnight In Paris’ showed the eternal romanticism of the city, is unparalleled. Woody Allen, in the film ‘To Rome With Love’, wonderfully captures the Italian capital. Within the historic city, there are instances which are life-changing and yet, innocuous. Although, not in the same league as Woody Allen’s previous films, the film is a must-watch for his fans. The film, even if a bit long and tedious for the viewer, does pack some wonderful moments. Definitely recommend a DVD-watch, if not in a theatre. The film has four parallel stories; a well-known American architect John (Alec Baldwin) encountering a young couple, Jack (Jesse Eisenberg) and Sally (Greta Gerwig), and their irresistibly attractive friend Monica (Ellen Page), and becoming an active part of their daily lives and romantic liaisons; an average middle class Roman Leopoldo (Roberto Benigni) escalating from the position of a clerk to an overnight celebrity; a newlywed couple - Antonio (Alessandro Tiberi) and Milly (Alessandra Mastronardi) hooking up with the sensuous call-girl Anna (Penélope Cruz) and the Italian superstar Luca Salta (Antonio Albanese) respectively; and an American opera director Jerry (Woody Allen) trying to revive his flagging career. Confused? You shouldn’t be, because most of Woody Allen’s films have such a premise. The film slows down considerably when too much of time is dedicated to a particular track. Although the way Rome forms such a wonderful backdrop to these intricate stories is magnificent, the scenes do drag a bit more than you would expect. This film is full of exceptional moments. Be it Benigni revelling in his newfound popularity, Allen’s circumspect silence, Baldwin’s deadpan expressions, Eisenberg’s trademark dialogue delivery, Ellen Page’s range, Penelope’s audaciousness or the brilliant efforts put in by the rest of the cast, the film excels in the acting department. The scenes are a bit too long, but the dialogues are so delightful that you’d still let out a guffaw! Woody Allen’s films are more about moments and less about impeccable narratives. However, ‘To Rome With Love’ slips during the second half. The pugnacity with which the initial half of the film is made, is found missing in the second half. It takes too long for all the tracks to reach their logical conclusion. Director Woody Allen, who also wrote the film, does not show the same form that he did with his ‘Midnight In Paris’. However, the film could have been a lot more monotonous had it been made by any other filmmaker. Woody, doubling up as an actor, manages to lift the film at crucial junctures. Woody Allen fans will like it. For those who haven’t watched a single Allen film, you could give this a shot after watching a couple of his ‘noteworthy’ films. Woody, Benigni and Baldwin, watch it for the legends! Shivom Oza

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Woody Allen joins his ensemble in TO ROME WITH LOVE, a wooly but witty meditation on love and identity set in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. An architect (Alec Baldwin), rich and famous from building malls, revisits the romantic folly of his youth; a young man (Jesse Eisenberg) meets his fiancee's (Greta Gerwig) sexy-dangerous friend (Elliot Page), and promptly falls in love; a retired recording industry exec (Allen) discovers an unlikely opera star in the form of his daughter's soon-to-be father-in-law (Fabio Armiliato); an Italian worker bee (Roberto Benigni) gets a shot of fame; a newlywed gets sidetracked by a beguiling prostitute (Penelope Cruz); and then some.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (2):

It's no Midnight in Paris, but To Rome with Love acquits itself well enough. It's certainly beautiful to look at, and the vignettes are amusing. (Some, including one that's a commentary on the nature of fame in the 21st century, are even insightful.) It's nice to see Allen pushing the absurdity once more, with one set piece featuring a literal shower singer. He stars in it, too, and his presence onscreen makes fans feel two things at once: first, how lovely it is to see him once more, as it's been far too long, and, second, how disappointing that, though entertaining, To Rome with Love doesn't quite have the heft of Allen's previous masterpieces (Hannah and Her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors, The Purple Rose of Cairo). (And when will he return to New York City? His European excursions are beginning to feel like an overlong vacation.)

Still, To Rome with Love is better than most of Allen's recent films, the brilliant Midnight in Paris excepted. And the ensemble is very strong. Plus, we glimpse the writer-director's genius commentary in a plotline involving an Italian everyman (played to perfection by Benigni) who becomes famous simply because the media decides he's interesting. That storyline alone is almost worth the price of entry.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about To Rome with Love's messages about relationships. How does it portray love and marriage? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding relationships.

  • What is the movie saying about the nature of fame in the 21st century? What role does media play in that?

  • How are Americans portrayed in this movie? Do you think it's a fair/accurate depiction?

  • Are you familiar with any of Allen's early work? Which filmmakers have stood the test of time?

Movie Details

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