What’s it about?
After meeting a charming family while on holiday in Italy, a newly relocated American family accepts an invitation to spend the weekend with their new friends. This decision puts their trust in each other and their intuition to the test.
What did we think?
Emer Tabler thinks: One of the best aspects of a holiday is the opportunity to reinvent yourself. Maybe you become someone who takes morning walks along the beach, makes pasta from scratch, or embodies the perfect family with a son who’s just a bit shy.
James McAvoy’s portrayal of Paddy is undeniably charming, even though the warning signs are evident from the start. His ‘take what he wants to get what he wants’ attitude and traditional masculine swagger are perfectly contrasted by the nurturing and accommodating nature of his young wife. When we first meet the families in Italy, it’s clear that comparisons are being made. Paddy and Ciara are presented as a laid-back, loving couple. They enjoy morning beers, ride scooters through the streets, and even with their son’s inability to speak (explained away by his being born with aglossia) they seem close and supportive. It’s easy to believe down-on-his-luck Ben, played by Scoot McNairy, might develop a man crush on Paddy, opting to impress his new friend over heeding his wife’s voice of reason.
The moments of bromance bring a lightness to the film, with Paddy’s quick wit, an impromptu sing-along, and seemingly harmless pranks masking the underlying tension and boundary-pushing behaviour.
However, once the action kicks in, believability goes out the window, and while I enjoy a good ‘hiding from murderous psychopaths in a locked house’ as much as the guy, my attention began to wane. The film lacked the fun of a slasher and the suspense of a horror movie, leading to a third act that felt disappointingly unoriginal and with motives that seemed half-baked.
While the destination left something to be desired, the journey provided an intriguing exploration of family dynamics and the pitfalls of comparing oneself to others’ facades, which only magnify personal insecurities.
