Reel Review: La Dolce Villa is the Ultimate Italian Rom-Com
Like father, like daughter. Netflix's heartwarming new film La Dolce Villa will take you on an uplifting journey and Italian getaway!
The film stars Scott Foley as Eric, a single-dad who travels to Italy in hopes of bringing his care-free daughter, Olivia, back home to the states. Meanwhile Olivia, played by Maia Reficco, has other plans to stay in Italy in order to renovate a famous Italian villa. Now Eric is stuck by his daughter's side as the two attempt to rebuild a villa (and their relationship) from the ground up.
The renovations prove to be difficult as the father-daughter duo gets into multiple spats that test their patience. Where Olivia sees a permanent life for herself in Italy, Eric sees his daughter making the biggest mistake of her life. Foley takes on this overprotective father role very well, while Reficco’s free-spirited youthful character compliments him.
Of course, no Netflix film is complete without a bit of romance, and both Eric and Olivia’s love interests were well-established and tied perfectly into the story. Violante Placido plays Francesca, the mayor of the small Italian town and aids in the villa renovations. Originally keeping her feelings guarded, we start to see her walls come down as she begins to get closer to Eric. Foley and Placido have a natural chemistry that just feels timeless as you watch the film.
By the end of the film, Olivia also manages to find love. Gio, a young and handsome chef from town, serves as a bridge between Olivia and her father throughout the film. When Gio finally manages to reconnect the two, his heart-eyes for Olivia are also quite apparent. Giuseppe Futia will definitely have the girls swooning over his charming personality and all-around adorable character!
The overall journey between the father and daughter duo will definitely pull on some heartstrings. The film manages to perfectly capture the meaning of found family, and conveys a unique family dynamic. While most of these themes can be quite relatable, the story also manages to add the perfect touch of fictional magic that allows us to escape!
La Dolce Villa is available to watch on Netflix now!
