The second film we have seen at the Italian film festival was an entertaining comedy starring one of the most popular actors and singers in Italy nowadays. The title 'Quo vado?' may send to serious philosophical and even Biblical connotations, but it's actually a light-heart comedy about the Italy and Europe of today.It's probably good not to take this film too seriously, especially using the political correctness filter. The main hero is a mid-class, mid-age, bold type living with his parents and enjoying what seems to be a for-life bureaucratic public servant position in a small place somewhere in Italy. One sunny day the skies fall on his head, as his job is going to be terminated because of an efficiency campaign. He either should resign, pocket some termination bonus and give up the good life, or fight for his job - which means being sent to all extreme places to perform the extreme job an Italian clerk is supposed to perform. The hero is sexist, ethnic prejudices and stereotypes abound, and he undeservedly accommodates any place and gets the smart and beautiful girl at the end (who just happens to have three different kids of three different races without having evener been married. No-PC? Thanks, God! Funny? yes - most of the time. Original? Not really, but who cares as long as we have a good time.Director Gennaro Nunziante relies on a script that could be as well the skeleton of a theater comedy or musical show, and on his leading star actor Checco Zalone who is apparently popular enough in Italy to assume the risk of lending his name to the hero. A few holy cows are tickled just enough not to cause too many waves and allow for the good spirit of comedy to prevail. It's easy but not stupid entertainment, and with this state of mind many viewers will enjoy it, I believe.

What can I say about this... let's say... "particular" movie? It isn't specifically hilarious, its jokes are mostly dated and overdone, and some might even sense that some "good ol' habits" (in this case, slight hints of racism) are having a hard time dying out. No. What is intriguing about this movie, above its irrational success in the former cinematographic powerhouse that was Italy, is its message... and the period in which it is being delivered. To reassure some of you, it is NOT a negative message. Far from it, it seems to encourage people to get out of the country and discover places, take risks and feel confident about your capacity to rebound in cases of failure. The only hitch is that "paradise" figures out to be... Norway. And that, in comparison, Italy has corruption and bureaucratic laziness that most Latin American or African tin-pot dictatorships would only dream of. On top of public sector workers only obsessed with keeping their undeserved jobs and perks. And this is where the positive qualities of the movie (undeniable levels of energy, that do not always compensate a certain sense of amateurishness; thoroughly likable characters, far from being developed) die. When a TV series like "Yes Minister" (which I would recommend for those who think this movie is too "popular") was subtle and pretty dark in its denunciation of administrative incompetence, leviathan-like civil services and government in general, this movie is both blatant and outspoken about its "targets". In the midst of a reformist drive led by Matteo Renzi back in Italy (with reforms in working contracts, public sector pay and the like), this movie resembles... no, clearly represents a highly coordinated, government-sponsored marketing job by Checco Zalone and his team. No amount of publicly-financed TV ads, speeches, exposes and/or documentaries could've done such a job. This has to be a premiere for such a nation. A study-case in what a nation will become under its current ruling class. And seeing its record-breaking intake, it seems that most people are liking it...

This movie isn't just a funny comedy. Checco is the main character: from when he was just a child, he wanted to become a public employee, to have all the privileges that an Italian public employee always has. He lives with his parents, his mom cooks for him and irons his clothes every day. He is engaged with a nice woman but he doesn't want to marry her because of the responsibilities he would have to take. Everything changes when the Italian law changes: every public office has to review the amount of office workers he has. Checco gets called to Rome with the purpose of getting him to dismiss but... the story gets really funny! I don't want to spoil too much so watch this movie, I am sure you'll laugh a lot.

The movie has been acclaimed for having underlined some sad aspects of the Italian economical and political world, using a comical facade. It is a sort of walk through different Italian regions, characterized by common stereotypes.I found this movie enough boring and repetitive, and lacking of real comical elements that could last in my mind and let me laugh again and again. The storyline is very flat and expected.Script and direction are poor, such as the performance of many actors. Maybe the only positive element are the songs, written by Zalone himself, that can sound funny and well-suiting the context.This could be a good movie to watch with your family to have some laughs. It is nothing more than this and I will never be tired of repeating his success in Italy is undeserved and justified only by an efficient promotional system.