【電影簡介】

約翰是美國著名的建筑師，他回到羅馬度假。年輕的時候，他在羅馬住過一段時間，算是故地重游了。在羅馬的日子里，他見到了正處在熱戀中的的杰克和莫妮卡。從他們的戀愛關系里，約翰回想起了自己年輕時的一段刻骨銘心的愛情。

杰瑞是一個退了休的歌劇導演，他和自己的妻子菲利普斯飛到意大利去看女兒海麗的未婚夫米開朗基羅。在羅馬，杰瑞對未來女婿的那個從事殯葬業的父親卡羅很感興趣，占卡羅是個天生的歌唱家，杰瑞就開始慫恿占卡羅去開始自己的歌唱生涯。

萊奧波爾多·皮薩內羅是個很無趣的男人，有一天他從床上驚醒，發現自己變成了意大利最紅的明星，每天都是無窮無盡的狗仔隊和閃光燈。漸漸地，皮薩內羅熟悉了這一切，但他同時也體會到了成名的代價。

安東尼奧從羅馬外圍的小鎮來到了羅馬，他帶著自己的未婚妻米莉。希望自己能用表現和漂亮的米莉打動自己的那些在城市里的親戚，好讓他在這里定居，并找到一份城市里的工作。可是他的計劃并不成功，安東尼奧莫名其妙地和一個陌生人結了婚，同時他的未婚妻和一個電影明星搞到了一起……

【音頻文本】

Woody Allen continues his tour around European cities. In his new film "To Rome with Love" we follow his tourist frenzy around the Eternal City, like we did in the midnight streets of Paris. But this time, his sponsors in Rome may have little cause to cheer, because the new production contains the least possible Roman element, and an increase in the director's jabbering.

The ensemble movie consists of four stories, each one more absurd than the last as they take turns developing as the burnished, golden pictures of cinematographer Darius Khondji. Allen plays a retired opera director who discovers a brilliant tenor in his funeral director in-law, but unfortunately, or rather inconveniently, this amateur tenor sings well only when he takes a shower. The absurdity of this story culminates with a performance in an opera house in a purpose-built shower. Allen's constant chattering makes it all possible.

The next example of jabbering is contributed by Alec Baldwin, playing an architect who observes a younger version of himself caught in a triangular relationship. As a seasoned person both in terms of age and career, Baldwin proves to be a reliable advisor to the youth, who is played by Jess Eisenberg. However, it seems rationale is always a missing ingredient in Allen's interpretation of romance. The young man takes no heed of Baldwin's warning and allows himself to fall for the temptation of the illicit affair.

The director's mistrust in love and marriage is further seen by a provincial couple who come to Rome for anew life. Both receive exciting and enlightening sex education courses with persons outside their marriage,before they decide that they are better off at home.

The comedy is supplemented by Roberto Benigni's ingenious portrayal of a mundane Roman local. His eventless life takes a dramatic turn when all of a sudden the media finds his dull life worthy of public attention.His taste of fame is fleeting, but carries the full dose of the director's sarcasm.

All four stories could have happened in a city other than Rome. And they don't necessarily relate to one coherent idea. The movie incorporates the director's opinion of romance and love, ambition and fame. The only perceivable connection between all four stories is perhaps is that each cast member makes each individual story interesting.

If we were to take "To Rome with Love" as a part of Woody Allen's tour of Europe, it will be a failed example, because the movie at its best is a collection of the director's random thoughts imposed on the city of Rome. It would have been a decent movie for an average director, but for Allen, the setbacks are not as easily forgivable. On a scale from one to 10, I think it deserves a five.

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