MY BEST ENEMY
***** out of *****

Reviewed by Mike Cavanaugh

Screening in the 12th Cathay Pacific Italian Film Festival
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Genres
Comedy

2006
Directed by
Carlo Verdone
Written by
Silvio Muccino
Pasquale Plastino
Silvia Ranfagni
Carlo Verdone
Cast
Carlo Verdone     ...     Achille De Bellis
Silvio Muccino    ...     Orfeo Rinalduzzi
Ana Caterina Morariu    ...     Cecilia
Agnese Nano    ...     Gigliola Duranti

My Best Enemy has been nominated for 12 David Di Donatello (Italian Acamdey) Awards, and has been described as a “smash hit”.  It’s easy to see why - My Best Enemy is a delightfully thoughtful dark comedy with the experienced comedic talent of Carlo Verdone playing off new kid on the block Silvio Muccino.

Achille (Verdone) is a successful, if not bumbling, CEO of a hotel chain owned by his wife and brother-in-law.  Achilles accuses one of his employees of stealing a laptop computer from a guest, and fires her without hesitation.  She cries to her son Orpheus (Muccino) who urges Achilles to rehire his mother.  When Achille refuses, Orpheus decides to ruin Achilles’ life.  Along the way, Orpheus falls in love with the beautiful but troubled Cecilia, Achilles' daughter.  Cecilia then becomes the bond tying Achille and Orpheus, somewhat reluctantly, together.

While My Best Enemy may at first strike as a comedy revolving around revenge, it highlights the importance of family and just how sometimes we can both be blinded and renewed by our relationships.  Verdone plays the success-crazed adulterous and fatherly Achille to perfection, and Muccini does a brilliant job of the ardently protective charming and determined rogue.  The two come together to magically ignite the screen, and the bitingly dry and witty banter between is a joy to watch.

I’ve avoided using the word “delight” in its various forms too much, but it’s the only word that can really do this film justice.  My Best Enemy is light, funny, thoughtful, and a pleasure through and through.  I highly recommend it.  The French have often been commended for their black comedies, but the Italians are showing they have just as much comedic talent and flair.

Please refer to the Italian Film Festival homepage for the fesatival for more information