Loose Cannons, directed by Ferzan Ozpetek, introduces another Italian family saga to the screen and another son reluctant to pick up the reigns of the family business. Luckily for Tommaso (Riccardo Scamarcio), the son in question, the Cantone family aren’t a Corleone style crime syndicate but a thriving small town pasta producer. Still, as it turns out, this is a life just as difficult to break out of. He is all set to reveal to his homophobic father that he is gay and more interested in becoming a writer than taking over the family business when his elder brother beats him to it by coming out. So begins a frothy farce in the vein of The Birdcage as Tommaso remains at home in the closet while his brother is unceremoniously disowned.
Well, Loose Cannons seems to be aiming for froth but there are two separate films fighting against each other here- one a camp farce, the other a heartfelt drama about the sacrifices one makes for one’s family. Representing the latter is the story of the family grandmother, played by the wonderfully regal Ilaria Occhini. Throughout the film, we see flashbacks to the dramatic events of her wedding day years before, when she married for practicality and not love. This strand is a treat, warmly dramatic and well-played. Amid all the camp and the host of caricatures that make up the rest of the clan though, it seems strangely out of place.
The farce aspect meanwhile works tolerably well, there are certainly laughs to be had at the attempts of Tommaso’s exuberant friends to pass for straight when they visit his home. Tommaso himself though is a problem- a frustratingly placid and spineless man who takes the outrageous homophobia dished out by his family with a weary sigh. This will be a surprise to anyone familiar with Scamarcio’s work (My Brother Is An Only Child); usually a dynamic screen presence, here he seems sadly chastened.
Despite the questionable sexual politics though, Loose Cannons still delivers as a light, quirky comedy with some nice performances and imaginative touches. The touching final scene in which past and present collide and the family dance with each other across the generations is pitched just right, leaving a bittersweet note in the air.