Matt LeBlanc’s film debut comes as leading role in Guy Magar’s Lookin’ Italian, a 1994 after-school-special type story about getting embroiled in, as one character puts it, “bad shit” around Hollywood, California. The inspiration is obviously De Niro, Pacino, and Brando, but the execution is decidedly… not quite up to par. The film revolves around Uncle Vinny (Jay Acovone) and his nephew Anthony (LeBlanc), both living in the same apartment and trying to manage day-to-day life at their work in a bookstore; but after Anthony’s friend and newest date are gunned down in a drive-by shooting, Anthony’s pulled into a similar gangster lifestyle that Vinny has been running from for years. In true mafioso cinema fashion, Magar’s script deals with trying to get out of the game when familia and circumstance keep trying to pull one back in.
Magar’s previous credits mostly included television before this low-budget independent film, and that detail reveals itself quite a bit in Lookin’ Italian. Besides the occasional nudity and potty-mouthing from the Italian leads, the film feels very much in line with a Saturday night TV movie, with an easygoing and almost whimsical first half that sets up the admittedly likable duality between Vinny and Anthony. Both leads are quite good here – Acovone in particular, who routinely seems like he’s in a different, better-written movie – and there are moments where both actors rise above some exceptionally melodramatic scriptwriting. Unfortunately, in the second half of the film after the shooting, Lookin’ Italian constantly feels like it’s teetering on the brink of falling into farcicality. The emotions and ugly crying are nearly unplumbed depths here, leaving the movie feeling less mobster story and more soap opera.
To be honest, though, Lookin’ Italian is still an entertaining movie despite these flaws. Acovone and LeBlanc are extremely likable, with personalities that draw the viewer into the picture regardless of the broad stereotypes Magar often depicts. It certainly pales in comparison to similar mafioso storylines – in fact, that’s really only a small part of the movie meant to drop an emotional bombshell at an opportune time – and yet it has a certain charm that resonates with the audience. The movie’s conclusion, too, is so comically over-the-top that it’s hard not to sit back and enjoy the ridiculousness of it all.
I’d be lying if I said I thought Lookin’ Italian was a traditionally well-made film; it’s not. But it still won me over with a blend of theatrics, personality, and delightfully excessive shootouts. And as a curious artifact in LeBlanc’s career released directly before Joey Tribbiani’s debut, it’s certainly a must-watch for trivia buffs and “Six Degrees of” aficionados.
Blu-ray
Severin Films has released Lookin’ Italian on Blu-ray with a new 4K scan from the original 35mm camera negative. The film tends towards a heavier grain scale, most noticeable in more static backgrounds like walls, though even skin tones tend to show a clumpier texture. This isn’t obstructive but is certainly more noticeable, as is the tendency for background elements like bookshelf titles to lack some clarity. Even so, close-up facial features reveal surprisingly sharp textures at times, and the grain remains consistent throughout even during scene transitions. The film’s color grading and lighting has a golden/amber push that, in my opinion, further cements a particular look and feel that ’90s television tended to feature. Overall, Severin’s transfer looks very good and retains the particular filmic look of 1990s cinema.
Audio is presented with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo track, and features consistent voluminous dialogue and a surprisingly robust bass element that accentuates some of the (rather silly) dance club sequences. English subtitles are also included.
For extras, Severin Films has included a number of archival featurettes along with a new interview with Guy Magar. In his short discussion, he gives a brief overview of his inspiration for Lookin’ Italian as well as the casting process that ultimately landed on LeBlanc, who was just about to give up on his acting career at the time. Older interviews include Magar, LeBlanc, Acovone, Stephanie Richards, Lou Rawls, and John LaMotta, which can be played individually or in a Play All playlist. This amounts to almost an hour of on-set interviews with the cast.
Also included is a 20 minute Q&A that was shot in 1994 at the Palm Springs Film Festival, including most of the cast. It can be a bit rough due to the camerawork and muffled audio, but generally this involves Magar fielding questions from the audience, and then later some footage with the cast at dinner. A brief Inside Edition report on the film provides a blast from the past that documents LeBlanc’s “lost film.” A short collection of the on-the-set footage is provided, as well as a gag reel and a trailer.
Extra Features
- NEW 4K scan from the original camera negative
- NEW Directin’ Italian – Interview With Writer/Producer/Director Guy Magar (1080p; 12:56)
- Archival Interview With Writer/Producer/Director Guy Magar (1080p; 12:35)
- Archival Interview With Actor Jay Acovone (1080p; 10:12)
- Archival Interview With Actor Matt LeBlanc (1080p; 11:03)
- Archival Interview With Actress Stephanie Richards (1080p; 7:37)
- Archival Interview With Actor Lou Rawls (1080p; 6:54)
- Archival Interview With Actor John LaMotta (1080p; 10:32)
- Q&A With Writer/Producer/Director Guy Magar And Actors Jay Acovone, Matt LeBlanc, Stephanie Richards And Ralph Manza From The 1994 Palm Springs International Film Festival (1080i; 20:04)
- Inside Edition Exclusive Look (1080i; 3:56)
- Behind The Scenes (1080p; 3:53)
- Gag Reel (1080i; 12:59)
- Trailer (1080p; 1:56)
Verdict
While Lookin’ Italian may not be considered a traditionally “good” film, it has its charms and is certainly a time machine back to a period before Friends dominated the TV ratings. This new Severin Blu-ray features a great transfer and host of extras – mostly archival – to document this “lost” LeBlanc film.
