“MIs she a bitch on her own or did she take a master’s degree? ”he says. “I did a master’s degree, yes,” she replies. We are at the beginning of Opposite polesfilm broadcast tonight at 21.25 on Rai 1, with Luca Argentero and Sarah Felberbaum in the role of Stefano and Claudia, the two protagonists of the romantic comedy signed by Max Croci. The scheme, as the title already reveals, is the classic one: he and she meet, at first they are unpleasant and then they fall in love. But classicism, as we know, is often a winner. And it is also true in this film that refers to the sophisticated comedy from overseas.
Opposite polesthe plot
Stefano Parisi (Argentero) is a couples therapist, Claudia Torrini (Sarah Felberbaum) is a divorce lawyer. Just separated himsingle with a son struggling with school bullies and with her first amorous disturbances. They find themselves with the professional studios on the same landing and, inevitably, they collide. They later discover that they have attended the same school and he, at the time “chubby”, he was in love with her that did not deserve a glance.
Infatuation that, despite everything, takes over. This time, however, thanks to the transformation of the “chubby” in a very charming man, the situation is very different. How it will end is pretty obviousbut the road to “happily ever after” passes through misunderstandings, paradoxical situations and inevitable jealousies.
Luca Argentero and Sarah Felberbaum, the right protagonists
To give support to Opposite poles are the two protagonists. In 2015, the year in which the film was released, Luca Argentero was not yet the Andrea Fanti of Doc – In your handsbut the young competitor of the third edition of Big Brother had already left his seat to the actor at ease in romantic comedies.
Sarah Felberbaum and Luca Argentero are very different in “opposite poles”. (Rai)
Sarah Felberbaumfor her part, had already been Livia in The young Montalbano, television prequel of the famous paper commissioner born from the pen of Andrea Camilleri. In Opposite poleshowever, left behind the sweetness of Livia and the characteristics of her usual characters, the actress she had to turn into a hyena. It is said that she practiced a lot to get into the part and that the slaps given to Argentero in the film were more real than ever!
Around them a cast of actors loved by the public, from Giampaolo Morelli to Stefano Fresi up to Tommaso Ragno, Anna Safroncik and Elena Di Cioccio. To play the little Luca, son of the protagonist, was Riccardo Russo.
Bullying on the background
Against the backdrop of romance, Opposite poles it also deals with the issue of bullying. The protagonist Stefano, bullied as a child as a “cicciotello”, feels very close to Luca, Claudia’s pre-adolescent son, who is also bullied. For this he helps him, with not always positive results, to face friends and companions. The boy, in turn, helps Stefano to win over his mother.
Opposite poles, the first film by Max Croci
Produced by RaiCinema and Rodeo Drive, Poles opposite was the first feature film by Max Croci, a director who died in 2018 at the age of 50 from leukemia. Lover of comedy, the director wanted to recreate in Opposite poles the elegant atmosphere of the genre masterfully explored by Billy Wilder and George Cukor, and that in Cary Grant he had one of his prince performers.
The choice of Luca Argentero, which he will also direct the following year in In your placetraced the director’s intention evident also in the care of the scenes, photography and costumes. Opposite polesalthough not too popular with critics for a few holes in the script, grossed € 1.6 million in the first 2 weeks of programming.
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