The Salt of Life

Director-actor Gianni Di Gregorio's follow-up to Mid-August Lunch exudes the fizzy, freewheeling charm of his 2008 debut. Di Gregorio plays fiftysomething Rome resident, Gianni, who embarks on a half-hearted attempt to find a younger mistress while struggling with the stresses of family life and the demands of his elderly mother. Skewering the foibles of male middle-aged vanity with wry humour and a light melancholy touch, this is a wonderfully crafted comic treat.