Life. Family. Love.
This is a great big beautiful valentine movie, an intoxicating romantic comedy set beneath the biggest, brightest Christmas moon you ever saw. It's a monster moon, a Moby Dick of a moon, whose radiance fills the winter sky and every cranny of this joyous love story.
The main characted here was named Loretta Castorini (Cher). She works in a funeral parlour and is a cool and rational woman, usually dressed in neat, sober clothing, who makes and executes carefully detailed plans in both her personal and professional life. Especially, she manages the life of the 42-year-old Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello) who rather clumsily proposes to her early in the film. She accepts, after making him ask her on his knees.
Johnny, after proposing to Loretta, must visit his dying mother in Italy before their marriage. He leaves her to make all wedding preparations. Loretta's father, Cosmo (Vincent Gardenia) does not approve of the marriage because he believes Loretta has bad luck in marriage (due to the death of her first husband) and because Johnny is a "mama's boy". Her mother, Rose (Olympia Dukakis), does not really care about the marriage, but advises her daughter not to marry someone she loves lest he drives Loretta crazy.
Johnny says that he wants her to talk his younger brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage) into coming to the wedding. He also warns her that there has been some "bad blood" between the two. She visits Ronny and finds out that Ronny lost his hand, and consequently his fiancée, while slicing bread for his brother, Johnny. While this "bad blood" makes no sense to Loretta, she is taken by Ronny's passionate and poetic ways and offers to make him something to eat. During the meal Loretta makes it clear to Ronny that she thinks the grudge he holds is stupid. Their mutual attraction then takes over and they make love. They wake up later and Loretta feels ashamed of herself. She says she could never see Ronny again and they must never tell anyone what they did, but Ronny is instantly smitten, as is Loretta.
After feeling bad for betraying her fiance, Loretta goes to church and sees her mother Rose praying. Rose indicates to Loretta that she thinks Cosmo might be cheating on her, but Loretta dismisses the suspicion. Ronny asks Loretta her to the opera later that day, promising he'll leave her alone if she agrees, which she does. Loretta dyes her hair and gets a beautiful dress. At the opera, both Loretta and her father Cosmo catch each other being unfaithful. They both agree to go their separate ways and pretend they saw nothing. Walking home, Loretta feels guilty for being with Ronny but he convinces her that there should be no regrets and they should follow their hearts.
Loretta goes home the next morning with love bites on her neck and is shocked by the news that Johnny has returned. His mother has made a miraculous recovery and he has something important to tell Loretta. Ronny then arrives at the house to confront his brother with the fact that he is in love with Loretta. At the same time, Rose confronts Cosmo about his affair, and he agrees to stop seeing his girlfriend. Johnny arrives and shocks the whole family by telling Loretta that he can't marry her. Even though upset, Loretta is relieved because Ronny proves his love to Loretta and everyone else by proposing. Loretta accepts Ronny's proposal and the whole family toasts "Alla famiglia!" (To the family!).
Why I Chose This:
Nicolas Cage is just so him in this. The typical hard headed bad boy that has an inner reason of being rude yet a soft side which every girls fall in love to (admit it girls, we are attracted to some bad boys out there). He will make you fall in love with all his practicality in life yet so much romantic.
Favorite Scene:
The whole opera date is very romantic. They act as if they don’t care at all what people say. At least they had been true to their selves. Loretta coming back the morning after the opera date with Ronnie is also romantic. I would never forget these scenes.
Favorite Quote:
The past and the future is a joke to me now. I see that they're nothing. I see they ain't here. The only thing that's here is you - and me.
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