Under the Riccione Sun [Sotto il sole di Riccione] *** (2020, Cristiano Caccamo, Ludovica Martino, Lorenzo Zurzolo, Isabella Ferrari) – Classic Movie Review 12,491

The bright and breezy 2020 Italian beach teen movie Under the Riccione Sun [Sotto il sole di Riccione] is directed by YouNuts!, and stars Cristiano Caccamo, Ludovica Martino, Lorenzo Zurzolo, Isabella Ferrari and Luca Ward. 

The bright and breezy 2020 Italian comedy-drama film Under the Riccione Sun [Sotto il sole di Riccione] is directed by YouNuts!, is written by Caterina Salvadori and Enrico Vanzina, and features an ensemble cast headed by Cristiano Caccamo, Ludovica Martino, Lorenzo Zurzolo, Isabella Ferrari and Luca Ward.

On summer holiday at the beach in Riccione in northern Italy, a group of teens get to know each other and help each other get through the various heartaches of their summertime love affairs. One of the main stories has blind boy Vincenzo (Lorenzo Zurzolo) trying to find love with a phone date girl, Camilla (Ludovica Martino), who is apparently otherwise involved, but being endlessly fussed over by his mother Irene (Isabella Ferrari), who is letting that idea spoil her own chances of love with an unexpectedly friendly bouncer, Lucio (Luca Ward).

Cristiano Caccamo plays the hunky Ciro, who wants a music career but lets himself be talked into being a lifeguard. Ciro is in demand, because this movie is all about good looks, more or less anyway, but it has a warm and sentimental heart too. Davide Calgaro is good fun as nice comedy sidekick Furio.

Cristiano Caccamo plays the hunky Ciro.

Under the Riccione Sun is lots of carefree fun, with a good spirit, like a Sixties Beach Party movie. Some strong language, all about sex, but there’s no sex, and lots of attractive young Italians giving pleasant turns, and three decent roles for older people in a teen movie: Luca Ward as Lucio, Andrea Roncato as Gualtiero, and Isabella Ferrari as the blind boy’s over-protective mother Irene)!

The summertime fun film has sun, sea, and sex appeal but above all quite a lot of easy-going, good-natured charm. Incredibly, there is not a villain in sight, nor even a single bad person. It’s only a movie, Ingrid, and a nice one.

The jolly music is by Tommaso Paradiso, who appears in the film’s rather spectacular pop concert climax, performing as himself.

The film was released on 1 July 2020.

It is followed by a sequel, Under the Amalfi Sun, released on 13 July 2022.

Lorenzo Zurzolo as Vincenzo.

The cast are Cristiano Caccamo as Ciro, Davide Calgaro as Furio, Matteo Oscar Giuggioli as Tommy, Ludovica Martino as Camilla, Saul Nanni as Marco, Fotinì Peluso as Guenda, Claudia Tranchese as Emma, Lorenzo Zurzolo as Vincenzo, Giulia Schiavo as Mara, Maria Luisa De Crescenzo as Bea, Sergio Ruggeri as Giorgio, Rosanna Sapia as Violante, Luca Ward as Lucio, Andrea Roncato as Gualtiero, Isabella Ferrari as Irene, and Tommaso Paradiso as himself.

It is made by Lucky Red Mediaset and New International, and distributed by Netflix, so it had a wide audience.

Release date: 1 July 2020.

Running time: 101 minutes.

Riccione is a main destination of summer tourism on the Adriatic riviera of Romagna, and one of the best known seaside resorts in Northern Italy. Tourism includes many young people attracted by its nightlife and the many nightclubs.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,491

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com