Poor Allegra. She’s a writer with a novel already under her belt. She’s good-looking. A free spirit, she lives in a rent-controlled apartment in New York City, unbound by traditional social constraints. But she’s just been dumped by Samantha, her girlfriend of nine months, who has decided she wants a long-term commitment. Since Allegra is incapable of such promise, Samantha is running off with a man.

But don’t feel sorry for Allegra. She rebounds quickly, this time with Phillip, her intellectual match and fellow opera lover. Phillip has just broken up with Grace, his girlfriend of six years. Grace meets Allegra by chance, and soon they start a relationship, too.

Maria Maggenti’s sex triangle — you can’t call it a love triangle — in Puccini for Beginners gives a voice to 20-something women exploring their sexuality. In one scene, when Allegra, already sharing Grace’s bed, tells Phillip, ”I’m too lesbian for this.” But she’s attracted to Phillip, so she’ll indulge anyway.

With the exception of Nell, a former lover of Allegra’s who continues to be a close friend, all women in the circle seem confused about what they want. But they certainly know how to verbalize their confusion with terms such as ”paradigm shifts” and lengthy replies as to why marriage is an archaic term.

The film may want to compare itself to a lighter, less dramatic Rent, which was based on Puccini’s La boheme, but the reality is far from it. The women, though apparently educated and not lacking in money, are suffering a 21st century neurosis. And unlike La boheme, this Puccini offers a happy ending.

Elizabeth Reaser (The Family Stone) really gets into Allegra’s groove, though she seems more comfortable with Phillip (Justin Kirk) than with Grace (Gretchen Mol). Grace, a financial planner, doesn’t plan much in life; she leaps into whatever she comes across. She quickly gives up on Phillip to be with Allegra for eternity and quits her job in favor of her true passion, glass-blowing.

Though a bunch of neurotic New Yorkers is a familiar sight, thanks to Woody Allen films, the twist here is that lover-swapping gains a new meaning. What generation you’re from may dictate whether you appreciate the film or not. Either way, it’s still entertaining.

information from : ae.miami.com

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