Genova - 2008 *****

Seriously, does Colin Firth ever make a bad film?! No.

In 'Genova' he plays a distraught lecturer who takes his two daughters to Genova after the death of their mother in a car accident. The idea is that the girls will have the summer to make themselves at home and become accustomed to the language and then start school there the next term whilst Joe (Firth) teaches English Literature at an Italian University.

The oldest daughter becomes sexually promiscious and starts hanging around with an Italian guy whilst the youngest still wakes up constantly with nightmares about her dead mother.

At the same time as this, Joe becomes close to a woman at the University who he had a brief relationship with a number of years ago at Harvard.

I think the film is excellent, brilliantly acted, slow to start and then building up to a number of events that change the family's situation yet again. I think there is a bit of false advertising however, as I believed this to be a chilling and gripping tale maybe with a ghost added in for good measure which is not the case, more about a family learning to cope with a tragic loss. Firth is superb. And the beautiful scenery makes this film extra special. Keep up the good work Colin!