This was a great movie that may have tried to be a bit too complex for its own good.On the one hand, unlike so many movies that try to deal with the sexual-identity-and-family issues, this was not simply a black & white generational conflict between fairly one dimensional characters and it certainly does not eventually have a happily-ever-after resolution ... or any clear resolution at all. Of course, that might be considered part of its charm.All the characters, both central and peripheral, have surprising depth and can generate a certain amount of sympathy (or antipathy) and interest on the part of the viewer. Most everyone was believable, although there was some overacting, particularly on the part of the father.The problem was that there were a few too many characters dealing with a few too many problems and if you had to rely on following the English subtitles it was easy to get lost at times. I will definitely have to watch this at least once more to try to get a better understanding of the personalities who were not central to the main story line. That's not a problem since it was an enjoyable experience the first time and I expect that getting a better understanding of the subplots will make it all the more enjoyable. But I also expect that to some extent it may be too much of a good thing packed into too small a space. Some of the characters needed more time to develop and the ending of the film left a lot of issues unresolved and hanging ... I think.

For a film in which each character harbours some tragic secret - of unrequited love, betrayal, unfulfilled ambition, alcoholism, a death wish or suchlike – Ferzan Özpetek's Loose Cannons is surprisingly uplifting.In this family drama/rom-com-with-a-twist, the Istanbul-born Italian director combines precise aesthetics with good-looking actors, but, regrettably, Loose Cannons is also full of all-too-predictable stereotypes. This makes the film, despite its underlying theme of the pressures of stifling social conformism, easy on the eye and light of heart. Think Festen meets Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.The loose cannons of the title are found amongst the Cantone family, the owners of a pasta factory in Puglia, in southern Italy. The father, Vincenzo, has decided that the time has come to hand over responsibilities to his sons, Antonio and Tommaso. His daughter's husband being an imbecile and his daughter being a woman, the brothers are the obvious heirs to the family business.Tommaso, ostensibly enrolled in business school in Rome but actually a gay literature student with a novel freshly submitted to a publisher, returns home for a pompous dinner where Vincenzo plans to announce the generational handover in front of the entire family and some new business associates. Tommaso, having just confided in his brother that he is planning to use the occasion to reveal his literary and same-sex relationship aspirations, is himself taken by surprise at the dinner: Antonio beats him to it, coming out of the closet and triggering a heart attack in his father.Antonio is disowned and Tommaso, afraid that opening up about his gayness would be a final death knell for his father, reluctantly steps in to manage the factory with the assistance of Alba, a beautiful young family friend with a nose for business deals and eye-catching pasta packaging. No matter how hard he tries, even caressing the freshly-baked pasta every morning as his grandfather used to, Tommaso can't develop a passion for macaroni. He wants to get back to Rome, to his writing and his gay lover, a bookish doctor.While the film centres on Tommaso and his dilemmas, Loose Cannons has an assortment of characters with an assortment of repressed emotions. There's the homophobic and patriarchal father; the outwardly stoic, but in reality sensitive, mother; the daughter stuck in a passionless marriage with a podgy husband and two chubby daughters; the spinster auntie indiscreetly drenching her sorrows in whiskey; the diabetic grandmother dishing out pearls of wisdom; and the ugly, frustrated maid.Though Loose Cannons is never dull, with plenty of narrative twists, flashback scenes and regular introductions of new characters, all the typecasting soon grates. The scenes with the multi-generational, loud- mouth Cantone family gathering around tables brimming with food quickly come to feel like quirky pasta adverts.The film is marked by clichés from the outset. The opening scene, which turns out to be a flashback sequence into the past of granny Cantone, couldn't be more kitsch: a beautiful, teary-eyed young bride runs up the steep staircase of a solitary stone house, where she confronts a man, his shirt unbuttoned at the neck, with a gun – first aimed at him, then pressed against her own chest. The man tries to wrangle the gun out of the bride's hand, at which point the film cuts to a shot of the house's exterior and the banging sound of a gun shot is heard.Things don't get better when, during a transitional phase of the film, Tommaso's gay friends from Rome show up for a surprise visit. Tommaso's parents convince them to stay overnight – cue camp homos who try to act straight but still can't help admire Alba's dress or flirt with Tommaso's brother-in-law. During a trip to the beach, the boys perform a silly coordinated dance before splashing each other with water. It's funny, but so predictable. At times, it's hard to tell whether all the typecasting and melodrama is done knowingly or is just crass.For a film exploring the themes of family obligations, tradition, clash of values, sexuality and love, you'd be better off watching Özpetek's Hamam: The Turkish Bath from 1997. Still, the graceful final scene of Loose Cannons, set to the melancholic tones of Turkish diva Sezen Aksu's 'Kutlama' (Celebration), is almost enough to redeem the conventional and clapped-out feel that colours most of the movie.

Father and owner of a pasta making business, learns that his eldest son, predestined to take over the company, is gay. The latter is announced on a family party, and surprises everyone present. The father does not take it very well, and sends the son away packing.Peculiar is that the announcement is just a few minutes ahead of the second son, who was initially planning to announce his gayness at that same family event, but did not know of the plans of his brother. The second son refrains from same announcement, fearing that his father won't survive a double "disaster". He tries to take up his role as second-in-line son to become the future company owner. But his heart is with being a writer, and not in leading a pasta factory.Of course, the father does not see all this. He is too much occupied with "what people in the village may think". He is also mad at his family, that they did not forewarn him because "everyone can recognize gay people by their behavior".Several amusing story lines unfold. The family is large enough to offer many opportunities for sub-plots. It's a pity that most are not developed to their full potential. Even worse, some are rather unrealistic, like the gay friends of the second son staying for a few days.The grandmother seems to be the only one overseeing what happens within the family. Some of the time she throws some hints around, but most of those are not picked up. She is reluctant to really interfere. This is a great role. She is also the only one not adding to all the standard gay clichés that we see passing.In the final scene, the first son re-appears at a funeral where also the father is present. They even come close physically, both being involved in carrying the coffin. Whether they are about to get closer mentally, is left in the open. Given that the second son already has made clear being unhappy in his role as future company owner, this could provide for a chance to welcome the lost son. However, this story line (like several others) are left as an exercise for the viewer, so it seems.

This is one of the best movies of the year,a wonderful tale of hope,friendship,love and family.For those who want to laugh, cry and especially think about matters that are, ultimately, uncomplicated and simple to think about.The actors are all simply wonderful, the musical score a must, and the script consistent with the aim of the picture: to tell a tale about living life to the hilt, and being happy the way one is.The most beautiful and unforgettable moments are related to the on-screen presence of Tommaso, Marco, Alba and 'the nonna'.This is for me one of the best movies of 2010 and a wonderful,sensitive and unforgettable tale!