Solo Mio Review: A full-of-heart Valentine's season romance for the whole family

I knew nothing going into Solo Mio except that it was an Angel film and that it starred Kevin James. I should've realized it was a romance film by the fact that I know what 'solo mio' means. Still, I basically just went to see this because, well, it was a new movie and I was sick all week, so my work for the week was basically overusing my Regal Unlimited pass. So, I was pleasantly surprised at the heartwarming, against-the-Hollywood-grain romance film I got here! In today's review, that's what I, Brighton Nelson of The Reel Ranker, will be talking about.

The premise of this movie is truly heartbreaking: a man is left by his wife at the altar just as they're about to be wed. And, yes, Kevin James's character literally takes his fiancée to Italy for their wedding. Yeah... his fiancée isn't the smartest girl in the world in this film, but it is what it is. Anyway, he is now left alone on a honeymoon tour "solo mio", which means only mine, a term derived from the fact that his Italian is quite deficient.

The movie then becomes an exploration of how Kevin James's character, Matt Taylor, finds joy as he sees the sights of Italy and finds friendship (and eventually romance) with Gia, who's a far more lovely and entertaining woman than his original romantic interest. I love the relationship between Matt and Gia because it displays something so many Hollywood films fail to represent: the beginnings of a love story. The film doesn't rush into intense sexual tension or anything ridiculous that doesn't happen in an instant, like Hollywood likes to suggest. No, Solo Mio displays a very organic, true start to a loving relationship through every interaction.

I also love that this film doesn't shy away from showing the cultural differences between Matt and Gia. In a world of film that often Americanizes everything or treats America like the villain, I loved how both Matt and Gia just feel like real people with cultural differences falling in love, not wrapped up in their differences but reveling in their similarities. Too many films utterly fail at finding a balance that celebrates all those involved, and this film does it so beautifully and effortlessly that, frankly, it made me quite emotional.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of negatives I can point out about this film. There are a lot of moments in the middle act that draw on a little too long, as the plot of this film is rather thin, even by romance film standards. For example, if you read the Wikipedia page of the plot after watching the film, 90% of the plot really happens throughout 25% of the runtime. If you aren't a big fan of a movie carried by small, simple character moments, this likely won't be a film for you. However, with how much time we spend with the characters, there's still a lot that we don't really get to know about them, which is a little sad.

I'm all for a good movie that isn't really focused much on the plot, though. After all, this film is just a beautiful, almost slice-of-life story. My main negative about the film is that it is billed as a rom-com and often structured like one, even though it's really not all that funny. Sure, there are moments of levity, but it plays much more like an earnest romance film, and when it tries to lean into the comedy, it just pads out the runtime in a way that isn't really funny enough to justify it. It's certainly not unfunny, but comedy isn't at all the film's main draw. While the side characters in this film are certainly charming, their comedic attempts are often rather weak. Overall, I may be on an island with this, but I think billing Solo Mio as a rom-com instead of a straight romance might hurt it more than help.

The Reel Ranker Verdict

Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 72%
Letter Score: B+
Star Ranking: 3.5 out of 5

While it won't blow your socks off, Solo Mio is a heartwarming, PG-rated romance that couples and families alike will enjoy. It may be a little slow at times, and sometimes it isn't as funny as its rom-com label may suggest. Still, it's an earnest movie that will make you smile at its ability to send Kevin James to Italy and tell a lovely story about how an American finds a new home and a new love.

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