UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN (2003)

Frances is a writer/college professor/book critic whose life has become totally un-sensual upon finding out her husband is having an affair. After she moves into a sad hovel of an apartment, nicknamed "Camp Divorce," her friends stage an intervention. Grace and Patti insist that Frances take their place on a gay tour of Tuscany. When faced with the alternative--hearing the wailing sobs of her divorced neighbor--Frances decides to travel before she too turns into an empty shell.

Of course, Frances falls in love with Tuscany and decides on a whim to buy a villa so she can stay permanently in the quaint village of Cortona. While Frances may be blown away by the beauty and charm of life in the Italian countryside, we here at Barefoot Aphrodite have been to Tuscany before (see A Room With A View and Stealing Beauty). This is not to say that we’re bored with scenes of rolling hills of golden wheat and endless fields of flowers but the bar is set high. This movie won’t be able to glide by simply by showing off luscious scenery or the charms of Italian men.

That said, here is what this movie is:

Romantic. During a visit to Rome, in search of spare parts for her antique chandelier, Frances is whisked away by a handsome stranger to the Amalfi coast. They speed along seaside roads in a convertible and arrive at a restaurant on the beach in Positano. Their meal concludes with limoncello and a kiss on the beach.

Sumptuous. Frances’ villa is transformed into an inviting and cozy home. Large homemade meals crowd the dining room table. Pastel murals are revealed after years of being hidden under drab paints. The house is filled with colors – orange curtains, purple pillows, a vibrant green garden – and becomes a place "to protect the dreamer." It is a place where "unspeakably good things can happen."

Peaceful. It struck me, as I watched Frances stroll through Cortona, that there was not a Starbucks or McDonalds. A way of life that is disappearing has been preserved here. Old buildings and nature and scenery have not given way to chain stores or strip malls. There is space to dream and imagine. There is a sense of a strong community, made up of colorful and interesting characters.

While I thought there was a spark of a certain je ne sais quoi missing from Frances’ journey of self-discovery, I was delighted by the uninhibited Katherine. A muse of the late Federico Fellini , Katherine wears giant hats, rubs her face on fuzzy ducklings in the market and licks ice cream with reckless abandon. As I’ve done with a few other supporting characters, I nominate Katherine as an honorary Barefoot Aphrodite. She possesses a strong comfort with herself and exudes sensuality. While Under the Tuscan Sun does not get my sensual stamp, I’d love to frolic in a fountain with Katherine anytime. As she says, "never lose your childhood enthusiasms and things will come your way."