My Brother Is an Only Child

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My Brother Is an Only Child

R

Released Mar 28, 2008

1h 39m

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

63 Reviews

78%

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2,500+ Ratings

Two brothers living in Latina, Italy, grow up against the backdrop of the tumultuous Years of Lead. Manrico Benassi (Riccardo Scamarcio) joins the Communist party, while his impressionable younger brother, Accio (Elio Germano), returns from seminary school a full-blooded Fascist. As the years wear on, Accio and Manrico's family loyalty is tested by their political differences and their dueling loves for Francesca (Diane Fleri), a compassionate and intelligent activist.

Critics Consensus

Luchetti takes advantage of the storyline's historical context without sacrificing his cast's fine performances or the script's light wit.

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Carrie Rickey

Philadelphia Inquirer

The film, which argues that blood brotherhood is stronger than political brotherhoods, vibrates with their youthful energy and ardor.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 18, 2008

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Daniele Luchetti's fluent, heartfelt Italian picture is the story of two brothers born after the war, who come of age in the 1960s and drift apart in the paranoid, violent, sour political atmosphere of Italy in the 70s.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 18, 2008

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

It's an engrossing political love story, with a strong sense of the shadings within the daily lives of these characters.

Jun 20, 2008

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Sarah Manvel

Cinemattraction

What could have been a complex examination of Italy's political divisions in the 1960s and '70s is reduced to two brothers' ceaseless one-upmanship.

Feb 10, 2019

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Laura Hiros

Rincón de cine

A film as incisive as it is delectable about the dreams and disappointments of adolescence, the passion of youth and the surprise of unexpected love. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4/5

Mar 23, 2018

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Kelly Vance

East Bay Express

Actors Germano and Scamarcio turn in magnificent, multilayered acting jobs.

Apr 28, 2011

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Dave S

It's not that My Brother is an Only Child is a bad movie – it's not. If there's a problem it would seem to be the fact that it never really establishes its identity. A drama? Probably. A comedy? There are some humorous elements. A romance? There's some of that. A film about family dynamics? Check. Political commentary? Definitely. Set in 1960s Italy, it is the story of two brothers, one a fascist and one a communist, and their fractured, tumultuous relationship. Stylistically, it is sometimes a bit of a mess. The direction, editing, and cinematography are erratic at times, but his can be overlooked due to the strong performances and interesting premise. However, what could have been a great movie is hindered by the fact that it never seems to be able to pick a lane and stick to it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/07/23

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Audience Member

One of the best movie ever

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

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Audience Member

Elio Germano è strepitoso e mette in ombra tutti gli altri attori. La storia di questi due fratelli di Latina è calzante e realistica. Il finale forse è leggermente troppo sbrigativo.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

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Audience Member

an enjoyable Italian film about 2 brothers growing up in the 60's and the battling ideology of Communism and Fascism

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

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Audience Member

And it's good old Communist wisdom that saves the day ...

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

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Audience Member

Set in Italy in the 60s and 70s, two brothers fight over love and political ideas. The film loses flair as the film progresses and the filmmaker refuses to pick a predominant theme. The initial concept itself is good and original.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

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Daniele Luchetti

Director

Elio Germano

Accio Benassi

Riccardo Scamarcio

Manrico Benassi

Diane Fleri

Francesca

Alba Rohrwacher

Violetta Benassi

Angela Finocchiaro

Amelia Benassi

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Synopsis

Two brothers living in Latina, Italy, grow up against the backdrop of the tumultuous Years of Lead. Manrico Benassi (Riccardo Scamarcio) joins the Communist party, while his impressionable younger brother, Accio (Elio Germano), returns from seminary school a full-blooded Fascist. As the years wear on, Accio and Manrico's family loyalty is tested by their political differences and their dueling loves for Francesca (Diane Fleri), a compassionate and intelligent activist.

Director: Daniele Luchetti
Producer: Riccardo Tozzi, Giovanni Stabilini, Marco Chimenz
Screenwriter: Sandro Petraglia, Stefano Rulli, Daniele Luchetti, Antonio Pennacchi
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Cattleya, Babe Films, StudioCanal
Rating: R (Some Sexual Content|Language)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: Italian
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 28, 2008, Limited
Release Date (DVD): Aug 5, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $251.0K
Runtime: 1h 39m