The Wasteland Reviewer

You, Me & Tuscany (2026) Written Review

What would your dream vacation be? More importantly, why haven’t you taken the leap and gone on that trip? People have many different motivations for their desires to go to other places. The natural beauty of a place. The impressive feats of human creativity. The culture. The food. Yes…food is a huge motivation for many to want to experience different cultures and travel the world. There are plenty of countries that are known for their food. Italy certainly is at the top of the list. It is no wonder that Halle Bailey’s Anna fell in love with the idea of Tuscany and wanted to become chef there. In Kat Coiro’s new romantic comedy You, Me & Tuscany, Anna’s penchant for living other people’s lives and a chance meeting with a handsome Italian man allows her to take the dive and live the life she dreams.

Does You, Me & Tuscany deliver an engaging story around Anna’s journey? The screenplay from Ryan Engle certainly leans heavily into tropes from romantic comedies but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its own charm. The story does lean into the “plot based on a lie” cliche and it resolves just as easily as most. Anna is a charming and endearing character who has some of her own flaws (a bit of a short fuse and a penchant for lying). Both love interests (Matteo and his adopted brother/cousin Michael) are quite basic yet handsome…which is enough for a film like this. But it is the supporting characters who really make this come to life. Many of them bring heart to the film as well as the laughs. Engle and the cast come up with plenty of truly funny moments which are all embedded in the dialogue. The screenplay is not the most consistent with much of the pre-Italy dialogue feeling a bit too clunky (especially Anna’s inner monologue) but things get more fun and engaging when the supporting cast starts taking more of a center stage. This is not the most original story for a romantic comedy but there is certainly plenty of charm to it.

Does Coiro bring more depth to this special-locale romantic comedy? From a visual standpoint, this has that overly saturated and bright light cinematography that looks like a television sitcom. But luckily the gorgeous landscapes of Tuscany speak for themselves. Tonally, Coiro certainly plays this one safe. There is the potential for some serious human drama but You, Me & Tuscany keeps things light instead. There are some more dramatic moments, but they don’t last long enough to get in the way of the fun and charm. The film’s romance is a little cheesy but in that self-aware kind of way that makes the experience even more fun. The film is quite funny and charming, which Coiro can achieve with the help of this game cast and honestly that is all you can ask for when it comes to a romantic comedy like this. The pacing of the film is quite effective as well as this film never really lets up on the fun and romance while those 105 minutes just fly by.

What really makes this experience come together? The fun cast certainly does a lot of heavy lifting. Bailey is charming and sweet and makes Anna an empathetic lead for sure. Rege-Jean Page is handsome, steely, and has some decent banter with Bailey. Lorenzo de Moor is also handsome and little but more fiery and charming. But the real standouts of the film are the wonderful ensemble of supporting performers. The best part of the film is Marco Calvani’s Lorenzo, the energetic and charming taxi driver who Anna befriends. He is a wonderful dose of joy anytime he shows up on screen. Another instant injection of fun and joy is Aziza Scott as Anna’s best friend Claire. Her dialogue is an endless supply of laughs delivered at the most opportune times. The heart of the film comes from Matteo’s parents who deliver a pair of moving and genuine performances (Paolo Sassanelli and Isabella Ferrari). Some of the other members of the family deliver some thoroughly entertaining and fun performances with their own brand of humor (Stefania Casini, Stella Pecollo, and Emanuele Pacca).

Is You, Me & Tuscany a worthwhile romantic comedy experience back in theaters? This Italian set rom com certainly is not the most unique film but there is plenty of charm. Coiro’s film is consistently funny and has the right brand of romantic cheesiness. Halle Bailey is an empathetic lead for the audience to appreciate, and Rege-Jean Page is quite the attractive co-lead. Have a fun trip to the movies and enjoy the gorgeous sites and food of Tuscany.