Author's judgement: 3/5
A ruffian businessman from the Apulian province wants to open a sushi restaurant where spicy sausage reigns: obviously he fails and leaves behind a mountain of debts and creditors, as well as two wives. He flees to Africa where things are no better and, as an illegal immigrant, he tries to return to Italy following the traditional routes of migrants. Nothing is missing. From buses overloaded with household goods in the desert to Libyan prisons and finally the boat that will sink in the Mediterranean.
All this abundantly seasoned with all the clichés about blacks, about migrants, about the Italian political situation and the various characters and personalities that make it up, from the small businessman to the biggest politician, from the tax evader who enjoys himself in Kenya to the various greedy, ignorant and snooty who often, unfortunately, populate our country. All this is Tolo Tolo, written in collaboration with Paolo Virzì, directed and interpreted by Checco Zalone or Luca Medici.
Let's start from the trailer, or rather from the video, which anticipated the film's release, raising a heated debate. On the one hand, those who accused him of being "right-wing" and therefore racist, xenophobic, chauvinist. On the opposite side there are those who have seen in those images the flanking of the "left" policies and therefore the danger of acceptance, the threat to "Italians first", the invasion of possible terrorists disguised as migrants.
A resounding success that had little to do with the film: it was just the anticipation of the themes that will be addressed in the film. Then it happens that when you go to the cinema you are disoriented: the order of values, the representation of current events, the narration of the real country is put in a blender where what comes out is not exactly exciting. As a marketing gimmick a masterpiece.
Zalone, with the help of Virzì who is certainly capable and expert in this genre (memorable August holidays of '96 and, to remember, Human capital of 2014) draws a disheartening picture of the human dramas that affect not only Italy. Technically, cinematographically, it succeeds well in the task and does it with a "commercial" hand with an eye to the general public and, not surprisingly, is presented in theaters on January 1st when the other Christmas films are running out.
There is no shortage of jokes with a comical effect even if too sophisticated for spectators who are not very wise with the great themes of national and international politics (see the quote from General Aftar and the Libyan crisis). The result is that basically we laugh a little and that little is also bitter. The people in the room (many children) observed with some perplexity and even when they left, the comments were very divergent. Eventually, though. the result was nonetheless achieved: on its first day of release it sold over 8 million tickets, a record not seen in years for an Italian film.
Behind Zalone, in the history of Italian cinema, there are illustrious masters in this genre and the first of all is certainly Alberto Sordi in good company with Nino Manfredi and Ugo Tognazzi. It is about painting a society in constant change, in a devouring existential crisis, of values, of ideal references. In just under two hours of show, because we are dealing with this, one cannot ask for more from a comedian.
It could be enough to mock and put Italian vices and virtues in the sedan and stop for a moment before encroaching on tragedy. Because this also tells Tolo Tolo, the human tragedy of so many humanity that aspires to a better life than the one it finds in its own country. It is not easy to observe, review and describe all national weaknesses, uncertainties, confusions and atrocities in a distorted mirror.
One cannot but give Zalone the merit and the courage to propose a film of substance and content while at Christmas, as we have written, the various Pinocchios or the umpteenth re-edition of the cammoristic feuds. You may like it or not, but this is what the national convent passes in politics, in society and, therefore, also in cinema. Still cinematographically speaking, it is better to be careful rather than naive.
