Lane shines in Tuscan Sun

Dreams come true, but often in a way least expected. This is a realization Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) comes to after spending some time Under the Tuscan Sun. The movie is based on Mayes' book by the same name which she wrote to share her personal experience in Italy. A devastating divorce forces the middle-aged writer out on her own again, and the only person she has left to depend on is her best friend Patti (Sandra Oh). Patti is the quintessential best friend. She tells Frances what she needs to hear, not what she wants to hear, and worries about her just the same. Patti and her life-partner are planning a trip to Tuscany for gay lovers until Patti discovers the in-vitro has worked and she is pregnant. Patti and her life-partner upgrade their tickets to a first class seat for Frances as a gift to celebrate her divorce being finalized. Frances insists on staying in San Francisco until she realizes she has sank lower than she thought and hops on the plane to join the aptly named Gay and Away Tour. While in Italy, she takes a chance and buys a Tuscan villa from an old, eccentric woman. She insists on making the best of the situation and hires a group of Polish men to help her fix up the place, discovering many new friends along the way. The restoration of the rundown house and Frances' personal discoveries about herself and life in general, make for a wonderful parallel. Since the story is based on that of a writer, the words that narrate and carry the story capture the enchanting beauty of Italy's Tuscan region. Director Audrey Wells does an excellent job showing off the countryside but luckily strays away from letting the scenery carry the story. Lane's performance is wonderful. She is able to capture the desperate feeling of a divorcee who simply wants to get her life back on track. Moments that could potentially be melodramatic, she carries very well. The story is somewhat predictable and skirts along the edge of clichˇ sometimes, but offers enough variety in the directing and acting from the supporting cast to stay interesting until the end. Grade: A-