NONNAS ON THE RUN

Italy, 2018, 94 minutes, Colour.

Claudia Cardinale, Nunzia Schiano, Jordi Molla, Daphne Scoccia, Ilenia Pastorelli, Eduardo Pesce.

Directed by Laszlo Barbo.

Nonna is an affectionate Italian word. It means grandmother. And this English title is an enjoyable play on the British comedy title, Nuns on the Run. However, as is seen on a final gravestone, the Italian title indicates nothing serious!

This film is a romp, often quite over-the-top in its exuberance. Many commentators have made reference to Thelma and Louise, but this time the two ladies on the loose so to speak, are in their 70s, living in aged care, feeling the confines, wanting to escape and contriving to set up two of the carers, encouraging their relationship, distracted, so that they can get out of the building.

Claudia Cardinale plays the Duchess, a gambler, and alienate it son who is an orchestra conductor, about to return to Italy in Venice. Nunzia Schiano is a widow who was a top cook at a restaurant. Her daughter, married again, has control over her money. Her granddaughter is rather wild, alienate it from her mother, complicit with her grandmother in the escape and later following her.

There are all kinds of comic adventures, especially in the initial encounter with two gay transvestites, just after they are suddenly robbed of all their money. (And there are schemes of them to get their way, the transvestites being seductive to bank managers and others and photographing them when compromised.)

There are adventures in Rome. They travel to Pisa, even having a ride there in supermarket trolleys. They are on the road, have great success in getting money in gambling, later stolen, and much of it lost at another casino. They encounter a farmer who hosts them, drives them, despite a breakdown, to Venice.

Meantime, the two nurses are in trouble, fired, but continue their relationship.

The young daughter encounters the transvestites who get into trouble with the police, accused of kidnapping the grandmothers. One of them is interned. The other, played by veteran Spanish actor and author, Jordi Molla, has a long journey, often clashing, with the daughter, eventually arriving in Venice.

There are various moods along the way, the Duchess exuberant, the widow having second thoughts and longing for her husband, the pursuing couple trying to avoid the police, eventually arriving for the recital of the widow then collapsing. (But not before she is given a severe talking to her granddaughter getting to reconcile with her mother.)

Older audiences can identify with the two grandmothers and their run. And it is challenged to younger audiences, middle-aged and young, to give more thought and attention to the elderly.