A Night in Venice: A bit of a dusty relic

Is this for you?

If you enjoy the kind of movies where characters spend half their time running in circles and the other half wearing masks that make everyone look like a bird, you might get a kick out of this. If you need a coherent plot or, you know, modern pacing, stay far away. This isn't exactly Saturday Nights when it comes to fun.

It feels like a play that got lost on its way to the stage. There’s a lot of shouting and exaggerated gestures that made me wonder if the camera was just forgotten in the corner.

Oddly enough...

The masks are the best part. They are these weird, slightly creepy things that make the whole Venetian setting feel more like a fever dream than an actual vacation spot.

There is a scene near the middle where a character trips over his own cape. They left it in the final cut. It’s the most human thing in the entire film. It’s not quite as charming as the slapstick in Service Stripes, but it made me chuckle.

The music? It’s fine. A bit repetitive. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in On Your Toes, but without the actual dancing to back it up.

• The lighting is very flat.
• Oskar Sima looks like he wants to be literally anywhere else.
• The background extras in the party scene look like they were told to stand still for three hours.

I found myself zoning out during the dialogue. It’s all very polite and stiff. It lacks the punch you’d find in something like Kick Out. It's just people talking about who loves who while wearing fancy clothes that look like they’re made of itchy wool.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a slog. Unless you are a die-hard fan of this specific era of filmmaking, it’s probably a pass. I’d rather watch Land Without Bread again, at least that one has a point. This one is just... there. Floating along the canal with nowhere to go. 🎭