Genre: Romantic Comedy

Language: Italian with English Subtitles

Director: Paolo Sorrentino

Cast: Giacomo Rizzo, Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Laura Chiatti, Gigi Angelillo & Clara Bindi

Released: 2006

Duration: 108 Minutes

Rating: R16 contains sexual themes and nudity

Distribution: Palace Films

Maverick filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino's follow up to 2005 Italian Film Festival gem, ‘The consequences of love’, features a similarly slick conception of space and the emotionally crippled characters placed within it. This time he crafts a complex world to illustrate the philosophy that "everyone steals, and everyone is unhappy."

Geremia de' Geremei (Giacomo Rizzo), known as Geremia Heart-of-Gold, is the neighbourhood loan shark, using a certain loquacious phony grace to simulate concern for the desperate people who come to his tailoring establishment for loans. This includes the proud Saverio (Gigi Angelillo) who humiliates himself by asking for money to pay for a suitable wedding for daughter Rosalba (Laura Chiatti), although the bride soon discovers it would have been better to forgo the party than deal with the thoroughly unpleasant moneylender.

Sorrentino's unique style - his juxtaposition of striking visuals and mix of realism and minimalism - results in a highly original work. ‘The family friend’, Sorrentino's third feature film, saw him gain selection into Cannes Competition for the second time in three years, earning him a nomination for the Golden Palm Award at Cannes Film Festival 2006.

“Terrifically stylish, angular, enigmatic new movie; a deeply involving film, with a cracking performance from Giacomo Rizzo.” Peter Bradshaw, Guardian UK