Loretta Castorini a bookkeeper in Brooklyn New York is a widow and accepts a marriage proposal from her boyfriend Johnny. But everything doesn't go to plan when she meets and falls in love with his younger brother Ronny. She will soon find out though that her family keeps many secrets when it comes to love.
Loretta felt her first marriage was cursed with her husband dying after two years together. She is therefore living back with her parents Rose and Cosmo. It seemed to be a rather happy Italian-American family with plenty of emphasis on eating dinner together, hence when she doesn't come home one night they are all wondering where exactly she was. Little did they know she was with her fiancé's brother and falling in love like she could have never imagined it. The passion between Loretta and Ronny really is fantastic to watch as they cannot help but be drawn together and they both know they are in trouble. The worst thing is as a viewer we don't even feel sorry for Johnny as he just doesn't seem right for Loretta at all.
Films like this always manage to put the opera in it and it always looks like a totally romantic evening. Which is quite impressive really as how many people now go to the opera? Maybe it was more of an 80s/90s film thing? But of the those people who go to the Opera now who still gets dressed up in a tux and lovely ball gown? Either way it certainly does scream romance!
Obviously I had heard quite a bit about this film over the years and everyone will know that Cher won an Oscar for her performance in a leading role and I have to say she more than deserved it, she puts in a truly brilliant performance and manages to go though many emotions. An Oscar win in a supporting role also went to Olympia Dukakis who played her mother and she totally deserved it as well, both working very well together with the impressive script and having truly interesting and real characters. This was also before Nicolas Cage became a total parody of himself and he worked very well with Cher, creating very good passion and tension between the couple. It felt believable and that was something that I really enjoyed about the film. Along with some of the funny moments as well, it certainly had the right balance of romance, comedy and drama.
It is now one of those films that I have no idea why I had not watched it sooner, I mean come on why didn't someone tell me that it was a must watch film? From the year I was born as well, really do think I need to watch more from the 80s and truly catch up so if anyone would like to recommend films similar to this one I really would appreciate it. I can see myself watching this one again pretty soon it be brutally honest, especially considering it is on Netflix UK at the moment.
