‘God Willing’: Filmart/Hong Kong Review

Winner of the 2015 David di Donatello Award for best new director (aka the ‘Italian Oscar,’) God Willing, a comedy-drama directed and co-written by Edoardo Falcone, screenwriter for Massimiliano Bruno (Nessuno mi può giudicare, Confusi e felici), takes on spiritual awakening and the religion-versus-reason dilemma with a predictable plot and glimmers of fine humor. Fashioned like a commedia all’italiana, the film uses farce and stock characters to satirize the educated middle-class, seemingly open-minded people who are incapable of turning the scrutiny upon themselves. While the stereotypes and expected plot movements get old after a while, the pic’s preaching of the importance of introspection and familial love, and its overall feel-good vibe laced with mildly funny moments, should lend it some appeal as wholesome family entertainment.