ABOUT MY FATHER

US, 2023, 90 minutes, Colour.

Robert De Niro, Sebastian Maniscalco, Leslie Bibb, Kim Cattrall, David Rasche, Anders Holm, Brett Dier.

Directed by Laura Teruso.

American television audiences may well be familiar with Sebastian Maniscalco. Perhaps not so widely known outside the US. But, this is his film, co-writing, the main star, keeping his own name, a story based on his own father and his growing up. It runs for 90 minutes. It can be described as a light comedy. And it works happily within this framework.

This is a film about family with an oft quoted Italian saying that family is all. In fact, this is a film about two families, quite contrasting, Sicilian migrants in the 1950s, a wealthy family descended from the Mayflower pilgrims.

Sebastian narrates the story, from the vantage point of middle age, growing up with his father, Salvo, his mother sadly dying, his father a renowned hairdresser in Chicago, Sicilian to the core but coming to America to live the American dream, the migrant experience, serving in Vietnam, making a success of his life, a hard work ethos, happy within his limited world and suspicions about wealthy American families.

The great advantage of the film is that he is played by Robert De Niro, clearly enjoying himself, variation on various performances over the more than 50 years he has been top lining the movies. And, Sebastian Maniscalco and De Niro play well off each other.

But, the complication is that Sebastian is in love with Ellie, Leslie Bibb. Salvo is wary, Ellie is not the kind of Italian fiancee that Salvo expects. Come 4th July holiday, Ellie invites Sebastian to her parents’ luxurious home and the local country club. Sebastian, tormented, worrying one way or the other, persuades his father to come. What follows, of course, is a whole lot of comedy, some slapstick, some farcical, Salvo as the fish out of water with the wealthy, the wealthy parents indulging their eccentric sons, the father an owner of a string of top-class hotels, the mother an aggressive Senator for Maryland (played by veterans David Rasche and Kim Cattrall).

On the one hand, the point is just to sit back and enjoy the comedy of errors. On the other hand, we are asked to give serious attention to the role of parents, protective, wanting the best for their children, but holding on to them for too long, the need for independence for children and to fulfil their own dreams rather than their parents’ dreams.

One might say that a lot of the comedy is fairly silly but, given the cast, enjoyably silly. (We have never seen Robert De Niro participating in an egg and spoon race before!) Things do get serious towards the end but there is a happy and proper ending. (Those who know Italian will get the joke about the peacocks when they hear that De Niro’s dinner recipe mentions Pavone – and we have seen the strutting peacocks in the grounds. And the final humorous joke about the peacocks pays off!)

1. The straightforward title? The focus on “my” and the autobiography aspects from comedian Sebastian Maniscalco? The Sicilian origins, his father a migrant, the American dream, the effect on the next generation and independence, parental expectations?
2. Sebastian Maniscalco and his comic talent, his career, cowriting the screenplay? Robert de Niro, his career in comedies, meeting Maniscalco’s father for his performance?
3. The Italian migrant background, Cicely and its reputation, memories of The Godfather? The generation coming in the 1950s? Salvo, hairdresser, his reputation, his clientele, admired? The death of his wife? Pride and his son? His expectations for his son? The narrow culture and perspectives? Wary of WASP culture?
4. The contrast with the descendants from the Mayflower pilgrims? American pride, wealth, business, mansions, manners, country clubs?
5. The situation, Sebastian, his work and skills, his relationship with Ellie, the scenes together, a middle-aged couple, marriage plans? Living in Chicago? Wanting to stay there? Sebastian and his work at the hotel? Ellie and her art, the exhibitions, her paintings, so similar, all being bought?
6. The comic touches with Salvo, the scenes in the hairdressers? At home?
7. The introduction to Ellie’s family, her mother the senator, aggressive? The father, his owning all the hotels, expansion? The older son, unreliable, drugs? The younger son, new age obsessions and behaviour?
8. 4th July, holiday and ethos, the plan, Sebastian’s dilemma, eventually inviting his father? The contrast between Salvo and Ellie’s parents and family? The comedy of the helicopter ride – and the later acceptance?
9. The visual and verbal comedy with the clashes of culture? The country club style, meals, connections, conversation, the touch of patronising, dealing with the sons? Ellie, her reaction, wanting the families to unite? Her dismay when she discovers that her father had organised the buying of all her paintings and putting them in the hotels?
10. The ups and downs of the visit, the comedy, the sports and the egg and spoon race, Sebastian and his desperation, the meal, the pastor, Pavone and the audience seeing the peacocks? The realisation of the peacocks in the pastor? The senator, the need for the interview and hairdo, Salvo and the effect on her hair, her explosion, the media and aggressive interview, social media liking the hairdo and her change of heart?
11. Confrontation between father and son, the father leaving early? The son desperate, going to the airport, getting his father to return?
12. Ellie, the same issue of independence, the pressures from her father?
13. The resolving the crisis, mutual understanding, the change in the parents, Ellie’s two brothers and the effect on them? A future?