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One of my favorite movies at last October's Chicago Film Festival was a slight little Danish film called Italian for Beginners. It focuses on six characters who don't have much in common besides their loneliness and the Italian-language class they each take in the hope of meeting someone new.

The group includes: Andreas, a young pastor who's just arrived in Copenhagen to take over a church on its last legs; Olympia, a female baker who's sweet but also clumsy, both physically and socially; Jorgen, a manager at a local hotel who has a crush on Guila, a cute Italian cook; Karen, a hairdresser whose drug-addicted mother invades her life; and finally, the socially maladjusted Hal-Finn, whose temper is surpassed only by his passion for soccer.

Though the setting is Copenhagen, Italian for Beginners feels like it takes place in a small village. The various characters keep running into each other, not only at class but in the restaurant where Guila works or the shop where Karen cuts hair. There's also a series of funerals at Andreas's church that are surprisingly comical.

In fact, the film has a touch of screwball in it. We in the audience know early on that Jorgen and Guila are right for each other; and not only that, we know that Guila knows it, too. But Jorgen can't see what's in front of his face, and Guila's poor command of the Danish language keeps getting in the way. We also know that Karen is exactly what Hal-Finn needs to calm him down, but every time he tries to get his hair cut, some catastrophe tears Karen away. And Andreas, whose faith has been tested by the early death of his wife, would be a perfect pastor if the church's former pastor would just get out of the way. Instead, the latter hangs around, planting mischief.

A screwball comedy is built on a foundation of delayed gratification, where couples destined for love are kept apart through ridiculous contrivances and misunderstandings. So it is with Italian for Beginners. But the film also has its serious side, as it explores the natures of fate and faith, death and distress.

This balancing act of comedy and drama is handled nicely by writer and director Lone Scherfig. The film, though sometimes cute, never falls over into the realm of coy. Furthermore, her adoption of the Dogme technique (hand-held cameras and natural lighting) fits her material, making the audience feel as if we're a fly on the wall watching these interesting characters.

The acting is strong across the board, with Anders W. Berthelson as the pastor and Ann Eleonora Jorgensen as the hairdresser are particular stand-outs. The movie's only mis-step is its hurried conclusion, as the film rushes off to Italy and quickly ties up all of the loose ends. After delaying gratification for 80 minutes, we could've waited a little longer for a more appropriate resolution. Nonetheless, Italian for Beginners is a nice little diversion. Check it out.

J. Robert Parks 2/4/2002