Il Postino

Michael Radford, 1995, Italy-France (8.8*)
This engaging romantic comedy was one of the most popular to come out of Italy. In a small seaside town, a local postman is having romantic problems, with unrequited love. Then the Nobel-winning Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (Philippe Noiret) moves into the highlands nearby; since the postman is a daily visitor, they eventually strike up a friendship, and the poet changes the postman’s life by advising him in matters of the heart.

This is a very unpretentious and engaging film that is enjoyable from start to finish – it doesn’t overreach and delivers perfectly by giving the viewer a breath of fresh air on an old theme. Plus it’s all just plain pleasant viewing, from the actors to the locations. Massimo Troisi is excellent in the title role, and died just twelve hours after shooting finished of heart disease.