As a fact-checker and aspiring writer for The New Yorker magazine, Sophie is passionate about finding truth and solving mysteries. So when she travels to Italy on vacation with her fiancé, Victor, and discovers a 50-year-old letter written by a love-struck girl needing advice about the boy she left behind, Sophie’s sleuthing instincts kick in. After sending a response to Claire, now an older widow, Sophie joins Claire—along with Claire’s cantankerous and handsome grandson, Charlie—on a quest to try to find Claire’s long-lost love, Lorenzo. Could Claire and Lorenzo’s young love have survived a five-decade separation? Is Lorenzo even still alive? Will Sophie’s growing attraction to Charlie interfere with her plan to marry her fiancé? All’s fair in love when romance is in the air in the Italian countryside . . .
What I liked about this movie:
For the most part, this is a sweet story full of hope and romance. Claire has been separated from the man she loves for 50 years, but she never gives up her dream of finding her first love. It reminds me of how Jesus is separated from His bride—the church. Revelation 19:7 talks about a special time when Christ and His bride are finally reunited . . . talk about the ultimate happy ending!
Sophie’s fiancé, Victor, is very passionate about his restaurant—he even travels halfway across the world to select and bring home the finest ingredients he can find! Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” Victor embodies this biblical motto. His eyes light up and he can hardly contain his excitement when he tastes those impeccable, authentic Italian flavors! Unfortunately, he has a harder time applying that same passion and dedication to his pending marriage . . .
I love Sophie’s enthusiasm. When she sets her mind to unraveling a mystery or discovering truth, she really goes for it. I get the impression that God really enjoys passionate people—He’s not as thrilled with people who do things halfheartedly. Check out these verses and see if they inspire you to live your life (and pursue God) like you really mean it! Revelation 3:15-16; Jeremiah 29:13; Deuteronomy 6:5.
What concerned me about this movie:
Unfortunately, as with most movies, there were some thematic elements that weren’t exactly pure. I’ll sum them up for you:
Sophie and her fiancé, Victor, go to Italy for a “pre-honeymoon.” While the movie never shows them together in a sexual situation, there is only one bed in the hotel room (indicating that they would share it), and at one point Victor suggests that they “drink a little wine, get tipsy, and . . . uh . . .” It was easy to guess what he was hinting about. Song of Solomon is filled with all kinds of steamy stuff—but the way God planned it, that’s the special intimacy saved for after the wedding.
Some of the characters use God’s name carelessly. God’s name is too special and powerful to toss around in conversation like that (Psalm 52:9).
Some scattered moments that the movie could have done without include a couple of inappropriate gestures, a woman referencing an intimate situation with her husband that should have been private, a nod to evolution, and some “little white lies.”
While I’m not making recommendations for whether or not you should see this movie (that’s for you and your parents to decide!), here are some “thinking” questions:
1. When God first created humans in the Garden of Eden, He created them both male and female. Why do you think He did that? Do you think God believes in romance? Why or why not? Look at Genesis 2:18; Genesis 9:7; Ephesians 5:25-33; Hebrews 13:4.
2. In the movie, we find out that Sophie’s parents were killed in a car accident when she was 10. She mentions that she would “like to think they’re somewhere nice.” While this didn’t “concern” me, part of me wished she knew for sure what happens at death so she wouldn’t be confused. Are you confused about what happens when someone you love dies? See what the Bible says about it in Ecclesiastes 9:5 and John 5:25-29.
3. It’s common in many European countries for people of all ages to drink wine. In this movie, most of the adults drink wine with their meals. Do you think it is wrong to drink wine or any other alcoholic beverage? Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding in Cana—it was actually His first miracle (see John 2:1-11)! Some people believe He created alcoholic wine in this miracle, and others believe it was fresh grape juice, which was also called “wine” in Bible times. What do you think? How did you reach your conclusion? Here are some texts that mention wine in the Bible: Ephesians 5:18; 1 Timothy 5:23; Proverbs 23:29-35; Amos 9:14.
