Little Italy is a rom-com based in, you guessed it, a suburb called Little Italy in Toronto. Leo and Nikki have always been best friends. Their families used to co-own a pizzeria and all was well with the world.
Then, inexplicably, one day their fathers had an argument that resulted in a long-standing family feud. The business broke up and now the two warring families own restaurants next door to each other.
Nikki, an aspiring chef, left to train in England and hasn't been back for five years. Leo is still involved in the struggling family business but has a side job working in a bar. However, when Nikki returns home to change her visa the families must confront their problems or risk losing it all.
The problem with Little Italy is that we have seen it all before. I know there are only so many ways you can make a rom-com but very little stands out with this one. Hayden Christensen plays Leo but with a very strange faux American-Italian New York accent. As do most of the cast, to be fair. Emma Roberts (Holidate) plays a more low-key Nikki and there is some chemistry between herself and Christensen. But a modern day Romeo and Juliet it ain't!
To be fair, Little Italy is exactly what it's supposed to be. A cheesy rom-com with a few laughs along the way. If you're expecting something deeper than that then you are out of luck. Because despite the premise of the movie, it lacks both the rom and the com necessary to make it a lot better.
However, if you want to watch something light, easy going and nice, then you've found it here. Yes, it's predictable, bland and a little saccharine but it has a decent cast and if you can get past the cliches, you might enjoy it. As an alternative try Always Be My Maybe!
