Martino is a penniless parked ” ‘No’ or couch cup” of Catherine’s sister, who does the home in Switzerland at William Joy, a sort of guru specializing in restoring the self-confidence to the athletes in crisis. When Catherine has an accident that prevents her from walking, and that requires expensive treatment Martino must rouse from his existential apathy and replace it with the housework at home of Joy, which begins to distant lands leaving him to keep the house. But Martin does not only keep clean the villa and begins to respond to the pretending boss business calls for Mister Happiness: will be his second “client”, the skater Arianna, to have the greatest influence on him.
Alessandro Siani in its third director is engaged with a subject and a written script with Fabio Bonifacci, and the problem is the script: a story unlikely, not credible dialogues, childish gags and a stellar distance from any kind of reality, but also from abstraction of the story, which would be Mister Happiness. The result is a romantic comedy that never lifts off, without the lightness of those butterflies who would be its symbol.
Siani is a charismatic artist who, supported by a solid script (as was to, import, the Welcome to the South) and a firm direction, can make sparks. Beyond a certain comic style borrowed from Massimo Troisi, a Neapolitan comic has its original figure resides, cinematically speaking, even in his pleasant “Norman” aspect that makes it a credible romantic hero and create a tasty contrast to his Neapolitan comedy. Beside him Abatantuono Diego, in the shoes of William Joy and Carla Signoris those of Ariadne’s mother, serving the same problem: the lack of something to do and say really funny and original. Which it is a shame because the Signoris-Abatantuono couple makes to imagine a different movie, as it is evident that the duets Abatantuono-Siani (like those Bisio-Siani in Welcome to the South) would work on the regional contrast ropes, if they were written with more care and wit. But here it points to the puerile pun and joke granted, squandering the freshness of physical comedy pyrotechnic Siani and gravitas seemingly impassive Abatantuono. Note on hand for Christian Dell’Anna in the role of Catherine, which elevates every scene on top of the available material showing a natural talent (and intelligently cultivated) for comedy and a “Neapolitan” never without thick.
We hope that at the fourth attempt Siani chooses to risk more from the point of view of creative, relying on more biting authors and more in tune with the times, and giving space to its natural and instinctive verve: the self-confidence that the guru teaches Joy its customers should be encouraged in him a more courageous production.