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But let me make the argument with Under the Tuscan Sun that while it is hardly at the level of Haynes' masterful melodrama, they are in many ways perfect bedfellows. Both showcase a devastated female lead (Diane Lane, Julianne), one who who must grapple with her innermost demons before she can start life anew. Julianne's is a more introspective and necessarily internal struggle, but don't think Diane doesn't feel the pain just as much: check out that first scene in Under the Tuscan Sun where she's meeting with her attorney about her pending divorce. What melodrama! What heartbreak! What pathos! Sure, its cheesy, but oh-so marvelously engaging!

In fact, Under the Tuscan Sun just may be the kind of romantic fantasy that audiences en masse in the 50s and 60s would have ate up by the millions (think David Lean's Summertime). But here's a dose of saccharine that is good enough that it is a shame that it has become a victim of simply being pleasant entertainment - its only crime is that it does not try to reinvent the wheel, push the envelope, or be particularly provocative. Audrey Wells' slight, rapturously watchable film never got the credit for being a much better example of its genre than such high-profile (and far more unwatchable) dreck like The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood or (yes) Friend Green Tomatoes. It is a simple, well plotted and deliciously manipulative ode to female empowerment, filled with interesting supporting characters and an attractive, winning cast.

And Lane, thankfully, is at the epicenter of it all. This incredibly attractive actress (both inside and out) finally proved to the world that she had the chops with her long-overdue Academy Award nomination for Unfaithful last year, and she follows it up here with a mesmerizing, very naturalistic performance. Lane's character in Under the Tuscan Sun is predictably charming, attractive and, well, cute, but the unique wonder of Lane as a performer is that she is so able to communicate directly with the camera and the audience that she simply is. It's the greatest compliment one can give to an actor in a mainstream film like this: even if the material is sometimes lacking, Lane is able to take the lemons she's given and makes one really bitchin' pitcher of lemonade.

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, Under the Tuscan Sun does not look as good as it should. For a film this new, the source material is in surprisingly poor shape, with a noticeable amount of fuzziness and dropouts on the print. (My player picked up a noticeable dropout around the 00:20:37 mark, which for a new transfer is unacceptable and downright sloppy.) On the plus side, colors are vibrant – especially the bright yellows and oranges – and blacks solid. However, detail is also poor, likely a result of the subpar print. THe picture lacks definition and is not particularly sharp. There is also a bit of ringing around sharply contrasted objects, although no real compression problems. For such an attractively shot film (and one filled with so many good-looking actors), this transfer is a real disappointment.

Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

The 5.1 Dolby surround track here is perfectly fine. Dialogue is very distinct and well-recorded, with firm place in the center channel. Effects and the poppy score are delivered by very spacious frequency response and enlivened but some nice stereo separation across the front soundstage. However, the surrounds are active although sometimes a bit subdued in quieter scenes (a bit more ambience would have been nice) but the .1 LFE gets a nice workout during the rowdier sequences. All in all, a solid soundtrack and much better than the transfer.

Also included is a French Dolby 2.0 surround dub, plus Spanish subtitles and English Closed Captions.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

First up is a screen-specific audio commentary with director Audrey Wells: she is a perky, energetic speaker, but admittedly she is not really all that engaging. She offers some astute insight about the buyer's remorse that hits people when they buy a house they're not sure they should (especially when that house is Italy), but most of the time we get only plain, innocuous discussion about the production. Hardly a terrible track, but still not all that exciting.

Tuscany 101 runs 10 minutes and is much more informational. We get tons of interviews from the filmmakers and actors as well as a peek into the mind of Frances Mayes (who wrote the best-selling book the movie is based upon). For lovers of the film, this is a short but sweet must-watch. Up next are three deleted scenes, all of which are tangential and nowhere near as interesting as anything in the finished film (although there is a strange clapper-board montage that proves that Wells may just surprise the critics yet).

Rounding out this set are some obligatory sneak peeks for Hidalgo, My Boss's Daughter, Calendar Girls and the Under the Tuscan Sun soundtrack, plus a promo for The Soap Network,

DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?

You have the opportunity to register your DVD with Buena Vista, and that's it.

Parting Thoughts