You know the cliché that gets applied when something bad happens, but an opportunity comes from it, right? It’s taking lemons and making lemonade. I’m probably one of the few people on the planet who can’t stand anything that smacks of being lemon-flavored, so lemonade is just as yucky as the lemons for me. That, however, does not mean that I cannot see the gift that sometimes comes from a disappointment in life. This is the case for the protagonist in the new film, Solo Mio, in theaters on Friday, February 6th.
Solo Mio begins with a non-animated Up-style montage of the budding relationship between Matt (Kevin James) and Heather (Julie Ann Emery), ending his marriage proposal. When she says yes, they plan to tie the knot in Rome.
Fast-forward to the big day. He’s at the altar and when the church door opens…no Heather. Instead, she leaves a note stating the obvious—she’s gone. Convinced that she’ll come around, Matt asks the hotel clerk if he’s able to shift the dates of the already-paid-for honeymoon package. Alas, not possible.
When other couples on the same package see Matt without his better half, they wonder at the moody guy in a rowboat alone. Trying to coax Matt out of his funk, fellow honeymooners, Jules (Kim Coates) and his third-time wife, Meghan (Alyson Hannigan), as well as newlyweds Neil (Jonathan Roumie) and Donna (Julee Cerda), urge Matt to join them for a drink.
Seeking coffee at the local café the next morning, a hungover Matt meets Gia (Nicole Grimaudo). She’s the opposite of everything Matt is feeling, cheery and engaging. After rescuing his wallet from the local pickpockets, Gia pries into Matt’s business, sorry to see one of her customers so down and out.
As Matt lets the presence of others bring a little healing to his heart, he discovers that the gift intended for a person sometimes comes couched in heartbreak and loss if only one decides to embrace life rather than blame it.
Kevin James brings his substantial comedic chops to this sweet role, pulling the audience into all of Matt’s emotional ups and downs, his displays of vulnerability as well as his resilience. Grimaudo as Gia succeeds in conveying the gentleness and empathy that Matt needed after the wedding disaster. Coates and Hannigan nailed the quirky factor as the helpful strangers-made-friends. Unfortunately, Roumie and Cerda’s characters suffered from deficiencies in the script, but the actors managed to make Neil and Donna endearing enough.
Solo Mio is a testament to the power of connection. The severing of one connection makes way for others. We’ve all had disappointments in life. So, whether you like lemonade or not, the call to welcome setbacks as gifts takes both faith and resilience. One never knows what amazing things may result if we try making lemonade with our lemons.