Alright fellow tapeheads, slide that worn cassette into the VCR, maybe give the tracking a little nudge, and settle in. Tonight, we're diving headfirst into a whirlwind of 90s Italian chaos that, for many outside of Italy, felt like discovering a secret comedic frequency on a fuzzy UHF channel. I'm talking about Carlo Verdone's 1995 smash hit, Honeymoon Trips (or Viaggi di Nozze as it glowed on the box art). This wasn't just a comedy in its home country; it was a phenomenon, a quote-generating machine that perfectly captured a certain kind of middle-class Italian absurdity at the tail end of the millennium. Finding a subtitled copy back in the day? Pure gold.
Three Couples, Three Brands of Chaos
The genius of Honeymoon Trips lies in its triptych structure, following three vastly different couples embarking on their post-nuptial adventures, all masterfully orchestrated (and partly inhabited) by the legendary Carlo Verdone. Verdone, a true titan of Italian comedy akin perhaps to a Sellers or a Brooks in his ability to disappear into characters, both directs and stars, showcasing his incredible range. He'd already cemented his status with films like the road trip classic Bianco, Rosso e Verdone (1981), but Honeymoon Trips felt like a generational touchstone.
The film cleverly intercuts these stories, creating a rhythm that swings from poignant observation to outright farce. It’s a structure that keeps you engaged, wondering which flavour of marital bliss (or disaster) is coming next.
The Meticulous and the Melancholy
First up, we meet Raniero, played by Verdone himself with unnerving precision. He's a timid, obsessively meticulous doctor marrying the long-suffering Fosca (Veronica Pivetti). Their honeymoon is less a celebration of love and more a meticulously planned, deeply unsettling pilgrimage dedicated to Raniero's deceased first wife. Verdone inhabits Raniero with a chilling quietude, every gesture calculated, his monologues about bodily functions delivered with the detached air of a pathologist. Veronica Pivetti is brilliant as Fosca, her initial hopeful smiles slowly dissolving into a mask of quiet desperation. It's dark comedy, bordering on the tragic, and a testament to Verdone's skill that he makes Raniero both pitiable and deeply creepy. There's a distinctly European flavour to this segment, a willingness to find humour in profound awkwardness and sadness that often felt startlingly fresh on American VHS players accustomed to broader strokes.
The Burden of Family
Then there's Giovanni (Verdone again, in a more subdued, 'straight man' role) and Valeriana (Cinzia Mascoli). Their Roman honeymoon is immediately derailed by clingy, neurotic, and meddling relatives from both sides. This storyline feels like the most traditionally "Commedia all'italiana," a comedy of manners and familial obligation turned up to eleven. Giovanni, the perpetually flustered newlywed, just wants a moment alone with his bride, but finds himself constantly mediating parental squabbles, soothing hypochondriac fathers, and navigating a minefield of passive-aggressive guilt trips. While perhaps the least flashy segment, it resonated hugely in Italy, tapping into recognizable (and often stressful) family dynamics. Seeing this play out, even with the language barrier softened by subtitles, felt like an intimate, slightly frantic glimpse into another culture's everyday anxieties – the kind of slice-of-life realism that often elevated these imported comedies beyond simple gag-fests.
"O Famo Strano?" – The Birth of Icons
But let's be honest, the segment that burned itself into the retinas and vocabularies of a generation was the story of Ivano and Jessica. Played with volcanic, glorious vulgarity by Verdone (his third role!) and a star-making Claudia Gerini, this pair are the apotheosis of 90s working-class Roman excess. He's a swaggering, oblivious lug obsessed with sex, speed, and showing off; she's his peroxide-blonde, gum-snapping, equally loud counterpart. Their honeymoon is a frantic, hedonistic blur of cheap thrills, tacky nightclubs, and their endlessly repeated catchphrase, "O famo strano?" ("Shall we do it weird?"), directed at literally any activity.
Claudia Gerini is an absolute revelation here. It's the kind of performance that launches careers – raw, fearless, and hilariously over-the-top. She perfectly embodies a specific type of 90s Italian youth culture that was both fascinating and slightly terrifying. Watching them tear through Venice and other locations felt like witnessing pure, unrefined energy captured on film. A fun fact: Gerini apparently based Jessica partly on girls she observed in her Roman neighbourhood, capturing that specific dialect and attitude so perfectly that the character instantly became iconic. Their segments are packed with the kind of brash, physical comedy and rapid-fire dialogue that made Italian comedies of the era so distinct. Forget subtle wit; this was a glorious, full-frontal assault of comedic energy. The sheer impact they had is hard to overstate – their slang entered common usage in Italy almost overnight.
Why It Felt Special on Tape
Watching Honeymoon Trips on VHS had its own unique charm. The slightly soft picture quality somehow suited the film's non-glossy portrayal of Italian life. There was no CGI sheen, just real locations, real (and sometimes questionable) 90s fashion, and performances that felt grounded, however outrageous. Verdone’s direction is unfussy but effective, letting his actors (especially himself and Gerini) command the screen. The humour, while culturally specific, often transcended language barriers through sheer force of personality and physical comedy – particularly Ivano and Jessica’s chaotic energy. It felt like a genuine artifact from another place, a snapshot smuggled home from the video store. The film was a massive hit in Italy, grossing significantly more than its budget and cementing Verdone's place as a national treasure. While perhaps less known internationally, for those who stumbled upon it, Honeymoon Trips was a hilarious, sometimes poignant, always memorable find.
***
VHS Heaven Rating: 8/10
Justification: Honeymoon Trips earns a solid 8 for its brilliant comedic performances (especially Gerini's breakout and Verdone's versatility across three roles), its sharp (if sometimes uncomfortable) satirical observations of Italian society in the 90s, and the sheer iconic status of Ivano and Jessica. It perfectly balances laugh-out-loud farce with moments of genuine pathos. Points are only slightly deducted for the inherent unevenness of the vignette format and the fact that some cultural specifics might feel dated or less resonant to non-Italian audiences today.
Final Take: A quintessential slice of 90s Italian comedy that bursts with energy, unforgettable characters, and Verdone's unique genius. If you want a hilarious, sometimes surprisingly dark snapshot of life and love, Italian-style, circa 1995, track down this tape – just be prepared for Ivano and Jessica to live rent-free in your head afterwards. O famo strano? Absolutely.