Review: Passionada (** 1/2)

PASSIONADA
A film review by Steve Rhodes

Copyright 2003 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2


Dan Ireland's PASSIONADA wants badly to be seen as a Portuguese twist on MY
BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING. However, MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING is a fast-paced
comedy, while PASSIONADA is a romance that's in no hurry. The movie also
pays homage to many other ethnic pictures including REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES
and LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE.



A film with a real love of life, it concerns a beautiful widow -- her
husband was a commercial fisherman who died at sea seven years ago -- and a
shy card-counting gambler who improbably meet and fall in love. Sofia Milos
("C.S.I.: Miami") plays Celia Amonte, a widow who is a garment industry
seamstress by day and a torch singer by night. Jason Isaacs (THE PATRIOT)
plays Charles Beck, the poor gambler who, in order to hide his real job,
tells Celia that he is a wealthy owner of a fish processing plant. In this
predictable story, he eventually falls so much in love with her that he's
forced to reveal the truth. Isaacs, who works hard at his part, is miscast
as a romantic lead. Although the movie is filled with romantic
atmospherics, he never managed to develop much chemistry with Milos.



The best part of the casting is in the part of Celia's daughter Vicky,
played with sweet spunk by Emmy Rossum, a real charmer who has future star
written all over her. Vicky is an independent woman who wants to make money
as a card counter and who is eager to find dates for her "Ma."



The supporting cast features a deliciously understated pair of performances
by Theresa Russell and Seymour Cassel as Lois and Danny Vargas,
husband-and-wife scam artists who are now apparently retired and appeared to
have cashed in on their life of shady deals. Russell's outfits are so ugly
that they become a joke that nobody seems to notice. Lois and Danny come to
Charles's aid by loaning him some of their lavish possessions.



PASSIONADA has the feel of a Lifetime cable movie, but it grows on you.
This much is certain. The Portuguese songs, which aren't actually sung by
Milos, are absolutely captivating.



PASSIONADA runs a little long at 1:48. The film is in English and in
Portuguese with English subtitles. It is rated PG-13 for "some sensuality
and a conversation about drugs" and would be acceptable for kids around 9
and up.



The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, August 15, 2003.
In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century
theaters and the Camera Cinemas.



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