Written by: Lone Scherfig & Maeve Binchy
Starring: Anders W. Berthelsen, Anette Støvelbæk, Ann Eleonora Jørgensen, Peter Gantzler
Rating: [3.5/5]
Taking the time to learn a new language takes one out of their comfort zone where they need to use the same words they use in their daily lives and utilize very different words. A process that carries much more difficulty the older one gets and depending on the similarities of the language. Growing up speaking one of the romance languages allows learning the ones a bit easier but when going from Danish to Italian, it takes some work. Even so, as much as Italian for Beginners centers on the process of learning this new language for a group of individuals, it mostly centers on the romantic connections between the individuals in this class and the affections grown.
A widowed pastor, Andreas (Anders W. Berthelsen) arrives in a Danish suburb after replacing the previous one and while staying at the local hotel, begins to meet some of the town’s people. When he decides to take an Italian course geared towards novices, he meets other individuals who each come in with their own issues they never knew this group would help in supporting.
Shot in a naturalistic and rather rough style in moments, Italian for Beginners seeks to bring us into the lives of these characters in their attempts to find something meaningful in their lives. The circumstances that brought them to this stage comes with varied degrees of tragedy, with some losing a loved one or others no longer having employment. This class allows them to try something new while also escaping something gnawing away at them and it leads to some surprising connections and a bit of romance as these six individuals enter this experience together.
With the naturalistic approach to capturing this story, we capture these stray moments in the way these characters interact with each other. While certainly having some cinematic moments throughout the film, it allows for something a bit less clean-cut and realer in the interactions these characters have. This style lines up quite well with the austere Dogme 95 movement of Denmark, where Lone Scherfig fits right in.
As the coupling begins with these characters, we dig into some intriguing character dynamics of how they meet each other’s needs. This does not necessarily only occur on the romantic lines but also along the surprisingly familial when it comes to Karen (Ann Eleonora Jørgensen) and Olympia (Anette Støvelbæk). Even in the moments where the film reaches a point of silliness in the way these characters connect with each other, it never stops being absolutely charming. The foundation set for each of these characters allows the moments where they connect and find common ground, something incredibly heartwarming. A void gets found and filled, and attending this language class plays a hand in it. If anything, this film makes the case that continuing to put oneself out there and engaging with their community has its benefits, where one can even find their next love.
Of the many things Italian for Beginners accomplishes, introducing me to the works of Lone Scherfig sits right at the top for me. A filmmaker with her own unique brimming style in capturing these stories of human connection in such a heartwarming manner. She received plenty of acclaim for her Oscar-nominated An Education and while that feature definitely had a larger budget and strayed away from the ideals she utilized in this film she maintains a thread in all of her films. Everything in this film gets paired down but it does not dim the impact of what these characters go through in even the silliest ways as seen through these comedic interactions. Scherfig continually impresses with her films and deserves to continually be heralded as one of the great Danish contemporary filmmakers along with the likes of Lars Von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, and Susanne Bier.
Simply a joy through and through, Italian for Beginners serves as a testament for the beauty of human connection even after going through difficult moments of life. Continually putting oneself out there to meet new people, find common ground, and escape one’s comfort zone. This film displays the scarier elements of it with the potential hurt involved, but also the beauty in how these characters find both friendship and romance through this experience.
Films with Josh 
