Kiss Me Again

Following on ten years later from The Last Kiss (L'Ultimo Bacio), Gabriele Muccino has returned to its characters, mostly played by the same actors, to see what is happening in their lives. This is a treat for fans of the original film, whilst newcomers will find that it's not difficult to join the story at this point, for all that it may seem a bit directionless. That's part of the point.

Despite the fact that they go through a lot of suffering, much of it of their own making, this is a heart-warming film. It's very open emotionally which plunges us straight into their lives as if we had recently joined a new group of friends. We might not altogether like all of them but we can see how they fit together, how the ongoing interplay of their lives makes sense.

The film is beautifully made, with slick production values and gorgeous cinematography. The solid performances make these characters into people we can believe in. Furthermore, it would be unfair to suggest that this film has nothing to say. In the tradition of Italian realism, it uses the observation of apparently trivial incidents as a means whereby to tackle sweeping themes about social change, parenthood, and conflict between men and women.

Energetic and easy to like, Kiss Me Again offers no easy solutions to its characters' problems but reminds us that life can be worth the effort for its own sake.