Solo Mio, 2026.
Directed by Charles Kinnane and Daniel Kinnane.
Starring Kevin James, Alyson Hannigan, Kim Coates, Jonathan Roumie, Julie Ann Emery, Nicole Grimaudo, Julee Cerda, Alessandro Carbonara, Cristina Alby, and Caterina Silva.
SYNOPSIS:
Left heartbroken in Rome after a wedding disaster, a stranded groom finds his ruined honeymoon transformed by a determined local and a few meddling travelers-proving that sometimes heartbreak is only the beginning.
One of the most satisfying aspects of film criticism is watching an actor pull off a performance so against type that the mere thought of it initially seemed inconceivable. In directors Charles and Daniel Kinnane’s Solo Mio (which translates to English as “mine only”), Kevin James (co-writing alongside the filmmakers) stars as a mopey sadsack art teacher/Ed Sheeran mega fan ditched at the destination wedding altar in Italy, with his usual comedic routine and mannerisms dialed all the way down in favor of something romantically perceptive and emotionally grounded.
That premise, surprisingly, isn’t a vehicle for goofy comedy harkening back to his sitcom days or Happy Madison production supporting roles. Hell, even by general romantic comedy standards, this is a solid film that doesn’t inevitably derail into something mind-numbingly overdramatic. Instead, it’s dealing with love in ways that are both simplistic and complex (as relationships often can be reduced to in those contradictory terms), seeing these characters as real people rather than vessels for grandstanding drama.
It couldn’t be any more different than the first collaboration between the filmmakers (the woefully misguided sports comedy Home Team that saw Kevin James playing suspended NFL coach Sean Payton taking a gig for his son’s middle school team), with one coming away fascinated at what could have possibly compelled the star to actively participate in the writing process. The film marks a pleasant evolution in Kevin James’s talent, revealing a more sophisticated, softer, quieter, and emotional side.
It is also worth mentioning that, although Solo Mio is being distributed by Angel and approved by their guild (whatever that means), this is not religious propaganda or anything to side-eye; rather, it is another similarly noteworthy step in the right direction toward legitimizing themselves in this industry.
As for what Solo Mio actually is, well, it’s a hangout movie set in Italy that includes plenty of sightseeing and activities after the concierge tells Kevin James’ Matt Taylor there are no refunds for the destination wedding package, prompting him to proceed with the itinerary as planned. His partner might have left him and might not love him, but a place like Italy can love anyone back. That’s not to say going along with this is easy for Matt, especially when he comes across two couples (one played by Kim Coates and Alyson Hannigan, the other played by Jonathan Roumie and Julee Cerda) who are together yet constantly find themselves arguing and bickering for different reasons, something he and Heather (Julie Ann Emery) supposedly never did.
Matt also meets coffee shop owner Gia (Nicole Grimaudo), who corrects his awful Italian pronunciation (again, even the mild humor here of Kevin James not knowing how to speak another language is severely underplayed as something cutesy and far away from his familiar playground of all-out stupidity), and then finds themselves bonding and hanging out together. Suddenly, she becomes his +1 for everything he and Heather were supposed to do together. The sights and sounds of Italy are gorgeous and inviting, further elevating the material without reducing it to a glorified vacation advertisement.
Solo Mio is also at its tender, sweet, and heartwarming best when Matt and Gia reflect on their failed relationships and what each wants from the future, perhaps together. Even when it becomes somewhat bogged down by unnecessary celebrity cameos and an unnecessary major reveal, it is admirable and rewarding that the film consistently sticks to characters making observations about love and behaving like mature adults, even during and after heartbreaking scenarios.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder
