A rom-com is not a rom-com without a little bit of silliness in it, a little chaos, and a lot of heart. “You, Me & Tuscany” perfects the formula while also shaking it up a bit with references to Blackness in Italy, dirty jokes, and relatable chemistry between leads that permeates the entire film.
Dreams Deferred Then Off to Italy
Starring Halle Bailey as a professional house sitter named Anna and Regé-Jean Page as Michael, “You, Me & Tuscany” is a genuinely cute story that hits all the right notes. While it stretches suspension of disbelief at times (you’re telling me white Italians would accept a Black woman that quickly?), it more than makes up for that with excellent comedic timing and stunning scenery that will have the audience yearning for a weekend escape to Tuscany.
Bailey is just adorable as Anna, who is dealing with unresolved trauma from when her mom died. Her dream of being a chef gets shelved as she tries to figure out what she wants out of life as she lives mostly vicariously through other people. Very rich people. Her fateful meet-cute with Matteo (Lorenzo de Moor) at the hotel her best friend Claire (Aziza Scott) works at sets off a wild ride of lies, break-ins, barrel rolling, and mending fences she didn’t break.
Wide-eyed Anna feels a bit vacant at times; letting one thing after another happen to her without her doing much about it, but it works for this character who is adrift in the sea of her own life. She goes to Italy on a whim, immediately gets antagonistic with Michael, becomes entangled with Matteo’s family, resolves long-standing problems, heals her grief-stricken soul, and rediscovers the chef inside her.
A Romantic Quagmire
Bailey’s phenomenal chemistry with Page and de Moor differ in many ways; Anna and Matteo have a lustful, mildly toxic energy between them, while Anna and Michael’s sweeter, softer, yet electrifying attraction sparkles on screen. But the film doesn’t try to make this an “Edward or Jacob” type situation, it’s pretty clear that Matteo and Anna would never work out. Anna and Michael slowly falling for each other makes this a story worth watching.
The writers (Ryan Engle and Kristin Engle) never quite get into Anna and Michael being one of the few Black folks in the area. While they allude to it a little and Anna mentions it to her bestie, the lines are throwaways that largely have nothing to do with the plot. It would’ve been nice to explore this some more, especially Michael being the only Black person in his Italian family.
Under the Tuscan Sun
One of the best things about the film is the Tuscan setting and scenery. It fills up the space around the characters, feeling more like the main character than the backdrop. From the sandwich shops to the vineyards to the beautiful home Anna breaks into, this version of Tuscany vibrates with good health, great vibes, and a warm, welcoming presence. Who wouldn’t want to stay here forever? Between the wine and Matteo’s kooky family, it’s no wonder that Anna would want to leave America behind permanently.
Speaking of Matteo’s (and Michael’s!) family, a lot of them feel like caricatures of Italian people drawn from memory at the beginning. However, over the course of the almost-two hour film, their unique personalities start to fill in and take shape. Matteo’s estranged from his family, after a blowout with his dad, so he fled to New York, which is where he met Anna. His family, thinking she’s his fiancée, credit her with bringing him home and mending the fracture. The most memorable member of the family is easily Francesca (Stella Pecollo). Her impeccable comedic timing with wildly inappropriate jokes about eggplants and her affair with the plumber adds spice to the narrative.
Anna getting super involved with these people’s lives feels almost silly, because why is she not telling them the truth? It all feels so ridiculous at times, but then she and Michael exchange cutesy smiles and you stop caring about that. It’ll work itself out, it always does in a romantic comedy.
Final Thoughts
“You, Me & Tuscany” is a worthwhile watch, while occasionally illogical, the movie just works well as an entertaining romantic comedy. Tuscany’s beauty elevates the entire affair. The family’s hospitality is inviting to not just our leading lady, but to the audience as well. You’ll come away feeling warm and giddy inside spending time with them. Plus, the chemistry between Anna and Michael, and even Matteo, sizzles at the right temperature.
Rating:
“You, Me & Tuscany” releases in theaters nationwide on April 10, 2026.
From Universal Pictures, the film follows Anna (Halle Bailey), a struggling chef who impulsively jets off to Italy to crash at an acquaintance’s vacant villa. After being mistaken for the owner’s fiancée by his mother, Anna finds herself caught in a web of lies (and a sudden spark) when the owner’s charming cousin, Michael (Regé-Jean Page), arrives.
- Director: Kat Coiro (“Marry Me,” “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law”)
- Writers: Ryan Engle and Kristin Engle (Story by Ryan Engle)
- Music: John Debney
I am a published writer, full-time editor, an events and entertainment reporter and mother of one. Comic books, drag queens, women’s basketball, queer films and TV shows are my bread and butter.