TL;DR – It has a level of heartwarming charm I was not expecting but was grateful to experience out in the Italian countryside.  

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit scene.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription used to watch this film.

Solo Mio Review Introduction

Well, it is the middle of the year, well more than the middle, and it is at this point and time that I start to get a bit reflective on the time that has passed and the coming storm that is the end of the year. It is the time of year when you want something that is just full of charm, and I think that will be the type of film we will look at today.

So, to set the scene, it was the perfect romance right up until Matt (Kevin James) was left at the altar by Heather (Julie Ann Emery) at their Italian destination wedding. As you can imagine, that is the perfect kind of embarrassment at any time and place, but there is an extra level of disaster when you are in a foreign country. Even worse, when your entire honeymoon package is 100% non-refundable. What is Matt to do? Well, it is paid for, and you can’t get your money back; well, you might as well enjoy it.  

Italian Charm

Solo Mio is one of those films that sits on the precipice that could fall into the realm of charm or cringe. Thankfully for most aspects of the film, it falls into charm, bar those moments that are meant to be instinctually cringy, such as waking up and realising how many times you texted your ex during the drunken escapade of the previous night. I was concerned with Kevin James, because there are films where he takes it too far with the boisterous caricature he often plays. Here they position him between other chaotic elements like Jules (Kim Coates) and Neil (Jonathan Roumie), which creates a moderating element that hones him to a more emotional and sympathetic space.  

It also must be said that the fact that they set this film in Italy really helps on the charm front. Whether it is real or imagined, you can’t help but get caught up in the history, food, and life. It also is the perfect fodder for the cultural disconnect between Americans and literally every other part of the world. Telling a native speaker that they are pronouncing a word wrong because you learned it in an app is both wild and something I can 100% imagine happening. It also helps in the foundation of Matt and Gia’s (Nicole Grimaudo) relationship built on charm and not understanding each other’s idioms.   

The Cast Commits to the Silliness

Inherently, Solo Mio is an almost absurdist romantic comedy. That level of silliness and wild characters can be off-putting if people don’t commit to it completely. When Jules says “Megan go”, and Alyson Hannigan dives forward ripping her earrings off, you feel that. There are a lot of contrivances that need to happen for the story to work, but you don’t really mind because that commitment is there. Kevin James and Nicole Grimaudo do make a very entertaining and engaging couple as they engage in the will-they-won’t-they dance of a romcom. It also helps that they filmed this all on location in Italy, so all that silliness has a delightful backdrop to work with.  

Recommendation

In the end, do we recommend Solo Mio? If you are in the mood for a Romantic Comedy, then absolutely give this one a watch. It has a level of heartwarming charm I was not expecting but was grateful to experience. Filled with zany characters to say the least, but worked in this framework.   

Have you watched Solo Mio? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked Solo Mio, we would recommend Ticket to Paradise to you because it also works in those elements of failed marriages being the basis for a new romance in a foreign location.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Feel free to share this review on social media and check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 


Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Solo Mio
Directed by – Chuck Kinnane & Dan Kinnane
Written by – John Kinnane, Patrick Kinnane, & Kevin James
Music by – Joy Ngiaw
Cinematography by – Jared Fadel
Edited by – Pete Kinnane
Production/Distribution Companies – Angel Guild, Nickel City Pictures, A Higher Standard, Kinnane Brothers, Admiratio Picture, & Rialto Distribution
Starring – Kevin James, Nicole Grimaudo, Alyson Hannigan, Kim Coates, Jonathan Roumie, Julee Cerda, Julie Ann Emery, Caterina Silva, Alessandro Carbonara, Andrea Bocelli, & Ed Sheeran
Rating – Australia: PG;