The Bread, My Sweet (2001) User Reviews

An offbeat favorite

[shopperchicadee · 8/10 · 17 March 2005]

I really liked this film. It has a small, character-driven feel of an indie, but with a sweet core. It makes me wish I had a family bakery like that near my house - and it reminds me that inside every little room there is a story playing out. Real life isn't filled with explosions, easy sex and Barbie-shaped women. Life is about the relationships we have with the people around us. While this movie is nothing like the TV show Northern Exposure, it still reminds me of that show. If you enjoy that sort of character/relationship-type story - one that has a happy soul - you'll probably like this story too. It's not a blockbuster-type movie. It's probably not even a Saturday night date movie. But if you are in the mood for a simple story about members of an urban family and how their lives interconnect, this might be one you'll enjoy.

call me a softy, I liked it...

[mkfwilliams · 6/10 · 13 July 2005]

Apparently some folks didn't care for this movie. Maybe it was because I caught it on pretty early in the morning, maybe it was my surprise at seeing Scott Baio play someone besides Chachi, but I liked it. I didn't catch the first part, so I'm only sketchy as to how his character became involved in the bakery. I came in when he'd taken Bella to the hospital, but the flick sort of sucked me in and I watched it. Maybe it's not Oscar worthy, maybe Scott Baio's no Pacino, but I found the movie to be likable, the characters to be fairly interesting, and the plot to be believable. I mean, I've seen worse. Lots worse. Like anything with Kevin Costner. At any rate, seeing Baio play ANYBODY besides Chachi (or Charles in Charge) was a good thing. And I loved the little Italian woman playing Bella. Makes me want to be Italian! So in short, if like me, you find yourself up way too early in the morning (or late at night) and you find this is on, there are worse ways to kill time. Just my two cents worth... :-)

sweet, sentimental, and enjoyable--especially for Pittsburgh foodies

[bwyn · 7/10 · 26 June 2005]

At first, I liked this movie because it's set almost entirely in the Strip District of Pittsburgh (a favorite haunt of mine & my husband's), and truly reflects the spirit of the place. The bakery interiors look like they were shot inside the real Enrico Biscotti, a great Italian bakery in the Strip--apparently the owner/baker is the director's husband. The Strip District is Pittsburgh's foodie heaven, so I was drawn into watching this one afternoon. But the sweet, character-driven story is what kept me watching. I've lived in Pittsburgh for 40 years, and these characters are realistic, not stereotypes. Scott Baio has definitely moved beyond "Happy Days", and the rest of the cast does a fine job. I love that his character spends his time away from his soulless corporate job baking, not only because his brothers work there and need their jobs, but because it keeps him grounded. I think of this film as a little gem. It's a sweet story, fairly well told.

A sweet film - take it for what it is

[botkiller · 22 May 2003]

Yeah, sure, you can say that this film is stereotypical. But being Italian myself, and coming from an Italian family, I have to say that this film was not stereotypical - atypical maybe. But if you want to bemoan this film for it's racial designations and characters, you might want to see "My Big fat Greek Wedding" first. You want stereotypical? That film will give it to you. It covered each and every cliche' possible, and everyone laughed. So what?

TBMS is a good film. It's lighting can be off at times, and the camera work is slightly jumpy, but I still believe it's better than a lot of boring hollywood productions I have seen as of late. The story is original, and if anyone wants to say that the acting was "wooden", you might want to take a look at the performance by Rosemary Prinz; it's impressive, and is not cliched like Greek Wedding; she actually seems like she's from Italy. Scott Baio is impressive in a role that only he could play, and at least he's Italian, dammit! How many more films do I have to see with someone playing an ethnicity they know nothing about? Baio thankfully jumped into this role, adding a touch of flavor to a role that probably would have been occupied by someone boring and overblown.

The rest of the supporting cast is well-played, with the exception of "Sister Grace", who was probably pulled off the street and thrown into a Nun's uniform. John Seitz plays Massimo beautifully; he reminds me of oh so many old Italians I have known.

And finally, this film does for me what many never accomplish; it made me feel like I was in the environment it took place in. If you want Italians to be "touchy-feely" all the time, go see something else. Italians are gruff, loud, and self-centered, but inside most all of us have big hearts and want to take care of those around us. This film portrays that characteristic well, and if you didn't cry, tough luck, I guess you really are wooden. I'm going to go eat some Biscotti.

Charming if imperfect movie

[Civsgirl · 6/10 · 4 November 2005]

This movie was recommended to me because I grew up in Pittsburgh and LOVE my hometown. It was wonderful to see the Strip District and the City filmed in such a beautiful way.

Although the movie was sweet and heartwarming, the acting (especially in the beginning of the movie) was VERY stiff and wooden showing no chemistry between the brothers at all.

My biggest complaint were the attempts at the accents of the Italian characters. BELLA'S ACCENT WAS MORE Russian THAN Italian. Scott Baio speaking Italian was more authentic than the accents and Italian words used by Bella and Massimo! It completely distracted me from truly enjoying the movie.

I also felt they did not do enough to encourage the idea of Scott Baio as a corporate shark.

A charming made for TV type movie and enjoyable for the whole family but with some flaws.

wonderfully surprising

[dah-9 · 10/10 · 25 October 2004]

I had hoped this would be a light romantic film and the critic's reviews were certainly encouraging. Still it seemed like it might be a made for television movie, simple and sweet but nothing extraordinary. It was wonderfully surprising though. I thought the scheme to marry to make the mother happy would be unbelievable but they pulled it off. It actually had a very realistic touch to the writing. And the direction was superb, very subtle, again keeping the character's realistic. All of the cast were terrific but Scott Baio, Kristen Minter and Rosemary Prinz were incredible. Definitely a sleeper, very heartwarming and incredibly well done! One of the greatest unknown romantic gem's you'll ever find.

You can definitely pass on this one

[jazznu · 1/10 · 6 February 2005]

This movie was not that good. The high user rating and the comments make you think that this movie would be extremely good and it didn't even rate in the average category. After reading through the comments I am guessing that many reviewers knew the people who made this movie and wanted to give it a favorable review.

Although I enjoyed Scott Baio and Kristin Minter's characters, everything else in the movie made this a movie I wish I hadn't taken the time to watch. The parents definitely overacted just about every one of their lines and the retarded brother's performance bordered on the insulting many times. Scott Baio's character's work life was not realistic (when exactly was he working so hard at his other job that he warranted a promotion to Senior VP). The thing is, I enjoy movies with concepts similar to this one - unrealistic, but nevertheless romantic and predictable story lines- the problem is that this movie was just poorly executed.

It was suggested that you have to enjoy or appreciate ethnic movies to enjoy this one, well I love movies involving ethnicity but showing Italian culture in the form of extremely bad accents, overacted but nonetheless authentic family interactions, and good food doesn't save this movie.

Save your time and your money and pass on this movie, you'll only be disappointed.

cut down from the original 2963 word "tribute"...

[ericmuss · 10/10 · 20 April 2002]

"The Bread, My Sweet" is one of the best movies I have ever seen. Honestly. It was THAT good. I loved it. It was funny while being grounded, it was touching without being corny, it was heart-wrenching without being melodramatic. In short, it felt so very REAL. It was like watching a documentary. I feel like I can go to Pittsburgh and see those people. I can find Pino, Eddie, Massimo, Lucca and Dominic on that street, in that shop. And how refreshing to see a movie about Italians and Italian families with no guns, no Mafia and nobody saying "Fuhgetaboutit!"

I have never seen Kristin before (I don't watch TV so I've never seen ER) but her portrayal of Lucca was both tough and vulnerable. A woman with the power to rip your head off with a single glance, and to comfort any sorrow with a single word. She was a complete rough-and-tumble tomboy and a refined and elegant princess. She was sensual without being slutty and she was adorable without being prissy. Kristin did exactly what she was supposed to do in every scene. She broke my heart everytime she cried. She gave me butterflies in my stomach when she laughed. I felt like I was floating when she walked out in that wedding dress. And, yes, she turned me on when she jumps Dominic in the hallway - even though the scene wasn't the least bit explicit, she radiated "erotic" with the slightest move - her hands lightly touching his stomach, just barely under his shirt - gosh, that KILLED me. So very sexy.

Scott Baio reminded me of John Travolta. Not because they are Italian. But because John Travolta was a popular actor who vanished for so long. Then he resurfaced and people really respected him and said, "Wow. Travolta can really act." I really hope a role like Dominic does the same for Scott Baio. Scott was great as Dominic. He came across exactly as you thought he should - he was a jerk with a heart of gold. You knew he was struggling with so many "inner demons" but his portrayal wasn't some unbelievable, overly-dramatic struggle. It was quiet. It was silent. But it was there. It came through. The great thing about his character was that he wasn't quite as bad as he thought he was - and I think there is a certain nobility in that. Sure, he was an evil demon in corporate America, but he was a prince at the bakery. Every single time I saw Scott on screen, all I kept thinking was - "My God this poor guy is SO underrated. Why the hell isn't he cast in more stuff!? He's fantastic." Dominic was the kind of guy that you want to be friends with - because you know that even when he WAS being a jerk, you could TELL him and he would not only respect you for it, he would agree with you...

Rosemary? My goodness. She should get an Oscar nomination. I'm not even joking. On the website, the director said that this film was a tribute to her friend Gemma. Well, obviously, I don't know Gemma. But I think any woman would be honored to be portrayed the way Rosemary portrayed Bella. I'm sure wherever she is, Gemma has a big smile on her face, thanks to how wonderful a job Rosemary did. Bella was the center of the whole story. She was warm and strong and spirited and funny. She was the person we all want for our own grandmothers and mothers.

John as Massimo was wonderful. He reminded me of my German grandfather in many ways - grumpy, pissy and bitter... but he didn't really mean a word of it. Again, his performance was brilliant. I didn't think I was watching an actor play a part. I was watching Massimo. John Seitz has to be just like Massimo. No one can play a part so well, right?... Well, that is how it felt on screen. He was like Rosemary was; the sort of guy you want as a grandfather. He did a great job of showing how much he loved Dominic, even in the scenes where he was cussing him out.

And then there is Pino. Wow. Pino proved two things on this film. That he is a great actor and that Melissa is a fantastic director. And Schuler, I commend him for the work he did. When actors wonder what it means to "expose" themselves, all they need to do is look at what Schuler did with Pino. Astounding. Bravo. In most films, a character like Pino would be irritating. The scene where Lucca says that "most people would consider him a burden" and Dominic says, "No. He's the dude. He's no burden." What a magnificent bit of dialog! I think everyone in the audience would have taken care of Pino too, and not considered him a burden at all.

The way I see it, I think that the film is such a rich, layered motion picture, so true to life, that the deepest meaning of the movie will change throughout the years as you watch it. It made me dream of a world where there might really be people who do something crazy and stupid just because it's the right thing to do. Like Dominic says - there is some logic in it, because it doesn't make any sense. More than anything else, I was inspired to think that the biggest changes in our lives, from the greatest tragedy to the greatest joy, can all stem from the smallest little twist of fate and the tiniest decision. If you say "yes" to one simple question, if you awake from one night of sleep, it may change your life forever... I need to know that now... I needed that inspiration. I thank the filmmakers for that gift.

Simply put - this was a wonderful, wonderful film.

Disappointingly awful, yet watched the whole thing

[mmovagh · 2/10 · 15 March 2004]

I watched this movie on account of having an interest in movies with baking or cooking in it. The most authentic part of this movie involves the scenes where food is being prepared, and yet, like everything else in the movie, it reeks of shoddy, TV-movie production. The editing was jumpy, the dialog was dreadful, and the accents defied belief. No one from anywhere speaks like "me want this, me no want that". Bleckh.

life, loyalty, love......

[mhovinga · 10/10 · 13 July 2001]

I saw this film at a local film festival. The story for the most part is true. I had the opportunity to talk to some of the cast and director. They were all great and the film itself was amazing.

Kristin Minter and Scott Baio brought the characters to life and showed great emotion. I loved seeing Minter in a different element than that of ER, and it was nice to see Baio again.

The story brought tears to my eyes and laughter to the room. It's a story of life, loyalty, love , and the importance of family.

This film is a must see.

Extremely Poor Quality Movie

[asshole_mofo · 1/10 · 30 August 2004]

I couldn't watch more than 30 minutes of this flick..even after several attempts. The acting is poor and the characters so boring, I'm almost annoyed by them. The story is lame. It's worse than a 6th Grader's book report. The photography is extremely weak. Bad camera angles, horrible scene transfers, and even worse editing. They must have used high schoolers to film this movie, they go overboard with the closeups, not framing the characters correctly. No, this isn't genius in cinematography, this is ignorance in film making. I'd honestly rather watch TV Snow than attempt to view this movie again.

This is complete garbage, and not worth a showing at 3am on Public Access channels.

Food as love, Film as sustenance

[playwrt · 5 April 2002]

First of all, make sure you eat before seeing this film. Preferably a loaf of homemade bread dipped in olive oil and a slice or two of brachiole. Follow with a desert of assorted biscotti and a slice of berry pie, and wash it all down with several glasses of homemade wine. Okay, now we can begin.

Like a fine meal joyfully prepared by hands that love you and shared with those whose company you most enjoy, this film will make you feel warm and connected -- to the earth, to humanity, to the one place in all the wide world that is yours and yours alone. Be prepared to laugh, be prepared to cry. Be prepared to leave the movie theater with a persistent urge to run to those you love and hug them for a long, long time. They may be imperfect, they may (occasionally or often) drive you crazy. But they are what keeps you from spinning off into the cold, dark, impersonal world. They are your reflection, your heart, your soul. Savor their company while you are together, and even when they are gone you will always have them with you.

And, whatever you do, follow your heart. It is so much wiser than your head. Or, better yet, follow your stomach. Let it lead you home.

Not Usually My Type

[Rebelrose161617 · 10/10 · 2 May 2005]

OK usually I am a horror,action,adventure, comedy, and drama kinda girl. Throw in a mafia movie shake and you have a perfect date especially if there is a lot of action ,voilence or murder, but this movie was one I rented on the sole reason of Scott Baio who I love when I was younger on Charles In Charge. I normally rent the lepercan series or something of the like and was never found in the romance section unless one of my boyfriends(there have been many over the years looking for a more romance night I guess you know why) dragged me over to get what they called a "chick Flick" . I could never understand what the appeal for those movies was . I was the anti-Chick when it came to movies but after seeing this movie with its simple Italian family and their kind neighbor downstairs in a bakery appealed to my family side especially since I am half Italian . It is the kind of movie that was a fairy tale in my Nonna's view before she died when I was three . Her idea of a fairy tale for me was to get married to a nice Italian boy and have a nice family .So this movie pulled at my heart strings. Rent it and keep an open mind. You never know you might love it.

A TV Movie-Quality Film, As Predictable As They Come

[utzutzutz · 3/10 · 22 May 2003]

THIS film racked up a 7.3? No way, IMDB voters! The film is a mess from start to finish. Baio and his female co-star's supposedly "passionate" acting are wooden, cold, and utterly unmoving--as if they'd lose their salaries if they displayed a true emotion. The cinematography is worse than film school quality, with chopped heads and too-close closeups in full abundance. "Bread" (stupid title, BTW) is grossly manipulative, tugging as hard as a 2-year-old on your heartstrings. Yet for all its designs on making me cry, I didn't come anywhere near it, and only derived one mild chuckle out of the whole supposed-to-be-amusing affair. The characters are incredibly stereotyped Italian-Americans, complete with speeches about the "Old Country,"--a cheap ripoff of Moonstruck or any other ethnic comedy you've seen lately. The gruff Italian male with the heart of gold, his doting wife who has an intuitive understanding of life sputtered through broken English, the iconoclastic daughter "who don't need no husband" and is whispered to be--gasp!--bisexual. And the guy who is a baker--gee, could we borrow from Nic Cage's role in Moonstruck any more?

Save your money--$7.50 will buy you plenty of biscotti and Gallo burgundy for an evening at home. Movies made with this degree of stereotype and cliche deserve to be boycotted.

A tear-jerker, but a very good one

[kastellos · 8/10 · 10 March 2005]

A very good tearjerker. Scott Baio is amazingly good as is the entire cast. The accents of Bella and Massimo are not good (although I'm not Italian, I grew up in a strong working-class Italian neighborhood) but they don't really take away from their performances. The new (i.e. relatively unknown) actress who plays Lucca is a gem. I would like to see here more often. Shuler Hensley as Pino wrenches the heart. The story line is far-fetched, but the acting and setting are so good, they come very, very close to making it entirely believable.

The Pittsburgh backdrop is gorgeous and greatly adds to the film.

If you're jaded and not sentimental or do not come from an ethnic background you may not like it, but if you're a sentimental Italian, or Greek, or Spaniard, or Lebanese, etc., I think you will enjoy it and use up a box of tissues.

foodie movie (?) to give you stomach cramps

[poloele · 1/10 · 20 September 2005]

I really cannot fathom who these people are writing the glorious comments. The movie was banal at best, partially unbearable for the bad acting. ( The retarded brother made me scream, and if I had to look into Bella's eyes one more time, I would've rather gone blind )

The cuts were horrible, and the whole movie and script didn't make much sense anyway. What was the daughter doing in Mexico now? working as a prostitute maybe? Yeah, and I still have to find a high powered VP executive who is casually dropping in on meetings, and baking bread anyway, haha wish I had this guy's job with the paycheck and all the free time.

The Italian couple was laughably pseudo-realistic, the daughter remained 2 dimensional, and the rest of the cast seemed more like cast-offs from a highschool drama lab. I watched it till the end just in the faint hope, it would get any better - NOT!

Excellent movie

[plkldf · 9/10 · 3 August 2003]

The wife and I just saw this and we both LOVED it. Scott Baio was excellent, and all the main actors were great. The writing was super, the dialogue was inspired. I voted 9 -- no flaws, just an excellent film.

I enjoyed the humor -- there are scenes where the Scott Baio character, who owns a bakery and also works in acquisitions for some kind of holding company, criticizes the junk food his colleagues eat, which is really enjoyable -- director goes out of her way to emphasize a connection between an empty diet and an empty soul -- piggishness in business and porcine manners. I really enjoyed the skewering of the Scott Baio character's colleagues in the business world. The boss is a hoot.

I enjoyed the way the first doc and the nun are both jerks. A nun as an incompetent jerk going through the motions is kind of different! The nun character is a little gem. She rolls her eyes at the end of her last scene! :0)

I think the Kristin Minter character is exceedingly well-drawn -- the character is not particularly pretty, and not really very likeable, and the bargain she is offered is not much of a bargain. But what a great ride! In all, my wife and I both thought that even though there was a formula obviously being followed, that the movie did an excellent job of following it. The whole idea of the "merger" that the Baio character offers her is charming and very different from anything I can remember seeing in a movie.

I enjoyed the old-world mother and father, and Eddie and Pino working at the bakery. Pino is terrific. He's scary and pitiable and is the character I identified with most. He brings humanity to developmental disability in a way I don't think I've seen before. Reminds me a bit of Mickey Rooney in "Bill." (no small compliment) What a terrific acting job by Shuler Hensley! Great writing too.

I cried through the last half of this movie. I want to see it again.

Who likes this movie????

[grotchly · 2/10 · 5 March 2004]

Wow! This movie was bad. The idea was sweet enough, but poorly executed. Bad acting. Bad dialogue. Terrible accents! Ugh!

I can't picture who the audience for this movie is. I realize it just might not be for *me*, but I don't know who would like this. Probably not you. I can't even compare it to anything to help you know for sure. It is "after-school movie" quality...almost.

Did they change the title of the DVD to get away from bad reviews or to capitalize on My Big Fat Greek Wedding? I didn't like Greek Wedding that much, but Bread/Wedding was no where near as good as that film.

I give it a generous 2/10.

Gypsy Observer

[tedg · 18 February 2004]

Spoilers herein.

On its face, this is a pretty clumsy setup. We have the mystical gypsy on the sidewalk (whose role seems to have been mostly edited out); the fantastic notion of a baker's life combined with that of A NYC VP of Mergers and Acquisitions (and that the job has something to do with firing people); the maudlin exercise of the retarded brother; the blunt metaphor of real versus junk food.

It is all a jumble of uncoordinated pieces. But it is a food movie, and that almost always works for me (well, except for `Tortilla Soup') because food memories stretch the cinematic experience.

And this has a particularly charming Bella. Sure it is a cheap shot, and not that hard to do. But this old woman was easy to want to please.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

A warm, wonderful, romantic movie.

[wordguru · 10/10 · 14 February 2002]

"The Bread, My Sweet" is a warm, wonderful, romantic movie. How refreshing to watch an indie film that doesn't depend on sex and violence to draw an audience. Set in Pittsburgh's vibrant wholesale district "The Strip," the film stars Scott Baio (who proves to be a gifted and passionate actor) as Dominic, a young, materially successful, Italian-American corporate executive who moonlights as a biscotti baker with his two brothers.

Dominic is leading two lives -- by day, he's a Master of the Universe, selling companies and firing employees. By night, he's a baker -- beloved by his customers and devoted to Bella and Massimo, the elderly Italian owners of the bakery. Colorful, crabby and sentimental, Bella and Massimo live above the bakery, and bring the richness of Dominic's forgotten ethnicity back to him. As Dominic becomes increasingly disenchanted with his corporate job, the biscotti he bakes becomes a metaphor for a life that's both simpler and more nurturing.

When Bella is diagnosed with cancer, Dominic quits his corporate job so he can bake full-time and fulfill her long-standing wish -- to see him marry her beautiful but flighty daughter, Lucca. Lucca (played by radiant and talented "ER" alum, Kristin Minter), like Dominic, has distanced herself from her Italian roots. They decide to stage a deception to fulfill Bella's naïve wish that they get married. The only problem is that Dominic and Lucca don't love each other. They don't even like each other. Tragically, Bella dies before the wedding. Dominic and Lucca call off the wedding, but then must search their hearts. Perhaps Bella has made a match after all.

With "The Bread, My Sweet," writer/director Melissa Martin and producer Adrienne Wehr have made a sweet, magical film that is sentimental, personal, and deeply affecting. Shot in Martin's husband's biscotti bakery (he's a former corporate exec turned baker), the film is a tribute to the `real' Bella, a charismatic Italian woman who lived on the floor above for some forty years. Bella was so beloved that upon her death, Pittsburgh's Strip District partially closed down to make way for the entourage of relatives, friends and local politicians who paid tribute to her memory and to a lifetime of generosity. It this unforgettable character who inspired Martin to pen the story.

With loving attention to food (they talk, they bake, they feast), if you didn't eat before seeing `The Bread, My Sweet,' you'll be starving by the end of the film. Despite a slow start (the result of a post-production funding squeeze that prevented another editing pass), "The Bread, My Sweet" is engaging, emotional and well crafted. Martin and Wehr are a great directing and producing team - they are not only friends, but as actors themselves (Wehr has a small role in the film), their sense of creative collaboration pervades the movie. Like Dominic's biscotti, it's made with love.

shameless tearjerker, very poor

[Mikko_Elo_ · 2/10 · 17 March 2005]

i was willing to bet money scott baio would've directed this himself, so much it seemed like an actor's 'personal project'. it's written so lousy it's unbelievable, the acting is poor, the characters even more stupendous. kristin minter, john seitz and shuler hensley all fail badly and scott baio is so self-involved it's sickening. rosemary prinz is pretty good, and about the only good thing in this pic. the aim of the movie is to shamelessly milk tears from the gullible audience. thankfully people are not as stupid as the creators of this film obviously thought...not everyone falls for it, and they shouldn't either, it's so obvious. movie making like this is just despicable. me no like.

I loved this film. A must See!

[marsalisa · 10/10 · 29 July 2005]

My husband and I really enjoyed this movie and we've recommended it to as many people as we possibly could (and still do). I thought Melissa Martin's portrayal of life, relationships, love, and personal struggle were truthful and thought-provoking. I was impressed with her writing style and ability to tell such a touching story about real life. In addition, I was impressed with the actors. They were natural, real and based in truth. The characters were likable, the acting was good to great, and the story provoked emotion and thought, thus engaging its audience. It was a great Ind movie and I'm proud to see such a high quality production come out of Pittsburgh. The cinematography, music...everything was very impressively constructed. It's a must see!

Misleading

[JCBar · 1/10 · 1 December 2004]

Although I should have known better, the comments on the outside of the DVD container mentioned that the film was better than some other films I had enjoyed - not the case unfortunately. In all aspects the film was simply terrible. The two older parents overacted, the brothers had no chemistry, the daughter was lifeless, and the plot was unbelievable. The main character's situation was unbelievable as well - he is a senior vice president who loves 'baking bread'? And spends 20 hrs of his day working two jobs because he feels an obligation or affinity with the above group? The music was horrible as well.

It might have been someone's labor of love to make this film, but the money could have been spent on the poor...

Bella was beautiful

[rushfanjenn26 · 9/10 · 3 June 2005]

I first saw The Bread, My Sweet (renamed A Wedding for Bella) when it hit theaters. I wished for a box of tissues as I sat there. This movie touched me very deeply. Rosemary Prinz as Bella was the perfect first-generation Italian woman. While the accent may have been a little hit and miss, the attitude, the facial expressions and the gestures were perfect. I first saw this movie in the year after I lost my grandmother and the similarities between Bella and my Gram are too numerous to be listed.

I suppose that my connection to this movie is that it is HOME for me. I feel welcome in Bella and Mossimo's kitchen, I know this family, I have celebrated with them on Christmas Eve. (Not literally of course, but there are many similarities to my large Italian family.)Also, as a displaced Pittsburgher, I do feel a strong connection to this movie that I suppose many other people don't have.

I was very surprised by Scott Baio in this movie, I thought he was excellent. Rosemary Prinz was also totally convincing in her role, and Shuler Hemsley as Pino, oh, what can I say, my heart just breaks for him. Kristin Minter is really the only drawback in the cast, coming off as wooden and somewhat unfeeling.

All in all, a fantastic movie, but be armed with tissues.

Very sweet sleeper romantic comedy

[hcs3399 · 8 April 2004]

I thought this was a very well done, though very low budget, movie. Scott Baio surprised me with his acting talent. He was serious, moody and passionate - about bread. Though I liked the romantic story line of the film I did not think it showed as much passion as it should have. Having said that, the film is still a very good and moving love story. The story lines following the brothers and the elderly ethnic couple were very touching. I would recommend this to any romantic at heart.

The rental box compared it to Moonstruck and Big Fat Greek Wedding. Besides the ethnic aspect I don't think that offers much of a comparison. This film was much deeper and dealt with more serious subjects than those two comedies did.

Very good movie. Check it out and see for yourself.