Volere Volare

The lazy American way of describing this film would be “Roger Rabbit for adults.” And while, yes, Volere Volare is a live action film interacting with animated cartoons, it’s also a delightful and whimsical comedy by Italian filmmaker Maurizio Nichetti, whose work seems to have slipped into obscurity on the Western side of the Atlantic. He’s a Chaplinesque master of physical comedy who stars in his own productions, always playing a sort of dorky, but lovable underdog.

Without ruining the clever and fun premise, let’s just say Maurizio goes through an identity crisis at the same time that he begins dating Martina, though her own eccentric career makes her a perfect companion for Maurizio’s socially awkward problem. It’s a silly movie, but one that delights in creativity and whimsey; in short, it’s a perfect romantic comedy for people who hate Nora Ephron.