Suffused with a gentle humanism, this touching film follows the exploits of an aspiring teenaged guitar player living in mid-1970s Caserta. When Milanese master pianist Augusto Riverberi (played by the director) comes to town, young Fausto (Antimo Merolillo) is hired to help him out. Though the musician is arrogant and often selfish, the opportunities presented by the job may just give the hopeful strummer the break he longs for. With terrific supporting performances by Lina Sastri as Fausto’s mom, Valeria Golino as a lovely beautician and Ernesto Mahieux as an incompetent music manager, Bentivoglio has crafted a lovingly quirky comedy filled with touching moments and beguiling era-specific clothing and settings.

Written by Umberto Contarello, Filippo Gravino, Guido Iuculano, Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Valia Santella. Photographed by Luca Bigazzi. With Valeria Golino, Toni Servillo, Antimo Merolillo, Ernesto Mahieux (104 min. Fandango Portobello Sales).