The Salt of Life

90 minutes

Italy

In his warm and witty follow-up to the 2010 sleeper hit Mid-August Lunch, writer-director-actor Gianni Di Gregorio has created another sparkling comedy--this time with a dash of the bittersweet. In The Salt of Life, Gianni plays a middle-aged retiree who has become invisible to all distaff Romans, regardless of age or relation. He contends with an aristocratic, spendthrift mother (again played by Lunch's great nonagenarian Valeria de Franciscis); a wife who is more patronizing friend than romantic partner; a daughter (played by Di Gregorio's daughter Teresa) with a slacker boyfriend whom Gianni unwillingly befriends; and a wild young neighbor who sees him merely as her dog walker. Watching his "codger" friends snare beautiful younger women on the sun-kissed cobblestones of Trastevere, Gianni tries his polite, utterly gracious best to generate some kind of extracurricular love life--with both hilarious and poignant results.

49% on the CINEMETER

46% - Feb 5, 2012

Gianni is gorgeous, Valeria is perfect. The Italian was easily understood. The perfect movie for an old lady-- thank you! We never stop loving and wanting to be loved.
Washington, DC Member

A brilliant study in the realities of a male in his middle ages wanting to deny his loss of sex appeal.
Washington, DC Member

As with MID-AUGUST LUNCH, a deliciious slice of Italian life!
Washington, DC Member

74% - Feb 5, 2012

If you're gonna get old, might as well do it in Rome - at least it's beautiful scenery that ignores you.
San Francisco Member

A wonderful coming-of-age film.
San Francisco Member

Yes, it is sort of fluffy but true. Old (middle-aged) people don't want to become nonentities. A great film for the majority of Club members, I think.
San Francisco Member

49% - Feb 5, 2012

Delightful! Now I know what's in the heads of all those men sitting on the corner, nodding and smiling√¢‚Ç¨¬¶
Greater New Haven Member

Loved the film - the pacing was excellent, the pauses very effective, and I love the facial expressions of all the actors.
Greater New Haven Member

Fun slice of life between generations and mores.
Greater New Haven Member

BOCA

27% - Feb 19, 2012

Delightful--how perfect for a Florida audience.
Boca Raton Member

Older women often feel invisible, nice to know older men fell the same way!
Boca Raton Member

When you retire you need a hobby!!!
Boca Raton Member

Zeitgeist Films