Genova

Review by Anthony Morris

When his wife is killed in a car accident, university lecturer Joe (Colin Firth) takes his two daughters and moves to the Italian city of Genova.

New faces, new scenery, new language, new job for him lecturing at the local university; surely all that will be enough to distract his daughters (who were in the car when their mother died) from what just happened and allow them to move on?

Unsurprisingly, no.

While the older daughter is soon spending her time exploring the local boys, the younger is increasingly creeping everyone out by talking about her mother like she's somehow still around - and wants them to be together again.

As a travelogue, Michael Winterbottom's latest film is flawless, really exploring the city and bringing its atmosphere and nuances to life in every scene. The performances are also spot-on (especially with the kids), giving the characters an inner life many other films would envy.

Unfortunately, all of this is put in service to a ghost story so insubstantial and ineffectual it is barely there.

Genova is pretty much perfect if viewed as the kind of holiday where you actually want nothing exciting to distract you from soaking up the atmosphere. But as a story, the drama and tension it seems to promise early on ends up being as elusive as the ghost that may (or may not) be haunting its leads.

3.5 out of 5

Genova
Australian release: 29th October, 2009
Official Site: Genova
Cast: Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella
Director: Richard Kelly