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One of the screen's most talented actresses, Diane Lane has come into her own in recent years with emotionally complex characterizations in such films and A Walk on the Moon and Unfaithful. Her winning streak continues with this delightful star vehicle, a charming, character-driven yarn set in gloriously beautiful surroundings that bring the delightful Frances Mayes memoir to vibrant life. Lane portrays Mayes, a recently divorced writer who gets away from her problems by taking a vacation in the Tuscan region of Italy. Inexplicably smitten with a crumbling villa put up for sale by its aged owner, Frances buys it on a whim, hoping that she will rejuvenate not only the property but herself as well. Writer-director Audrey Wells peppers the narrative with colorful characters: Frances' closest friend, a lesbian (Sandra Oh) dumped by her partner in the midst of a pregnancy; a handsome young lover (Raoul Bova) straight out of the pages of a romance novel; a middle-aged British expatriate (Lindsay Duncan) with a zest for life; and a sympathetic real-estate broker who befriends the writer and develops a crush on her. There are others -- eccentric workmen and young lovers separated by class differences -- but they're all here only to lend support to Lane, whose obvious star quality and physical beauty brighten the screen even more than the sun-drenched Tuscan vistas expertly captured by cinematographer Geoffrey Simpson. Some, but not all, of the loose ends are tied up before the end credits, but this movie doesn't take the easy way out by pairing off all the cast members. Lane's character ultimately learns the lesson that a fully lived life is not about having arrived at a destination -- it's about the things that happen along the way. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

A woman starts her life over with a new home in a new land in this romantic comedy drama . Frances (Diane Lane) is a writer in her mid-'30s who feels emotionally derailed after her divorce. Unhappy and unable to write, she isn't sure what to do with her life, and her best friend Patti (Sandra Oh) decides she needs some time away from her problems. With that in mind, Patti gives Frances a ticket for a two-week tour of the Tuscany region of Italy; while there, Frances finds a dilapidated old villa. Charmed by the warmth, beauty, and charm of the small town of Cortona, Frances impulsively decides to buy the villa, thinking she can fix it up herself. The home proves to be more of a handyman's special than she imagined, but as she slowly gets the hang of household maintenance, Italian style, Frances develops a new confidence as she makes friends with her neighbors and finds love with a handsome local named Marcello (Raoul Bova). Under the Tuscan Sun is loosely adapted from the memoir by Frances Mayes, who (unlike the leading character of the film) remained happily married during her sojourn in Tuscany. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 786936226355
• Source: WALT DISNEY VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1)
• Presentation: Pan & Scan
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Français
• Subtitles: Español
• Time: 1:53:00
• Sales Rank: 31,363

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