‘Solo Mio’ is a reminder to find hope and joy in the midst of loss and doubt

By Josh Ball

How do you deal with heartbreak? Matt Taylor (Kevin James) must answer this question in Angel Studios’ new movie “Solo Mio.”

When he was left at the altar in Rome, Matt decided to go on his honeymoon alone, laying the groundwork for antics with the other couples enjoying their honeymoons with him. Over the course of 90 minutes, he learns to love again through the support of his new friends and a barista of particular interest.

The eccentricity of the characters was balanced with the perfect amount of realism. In one scene, Neil (Jonathan Roumie) and Julian (Kim Coates) shared a heart-to-heart with the suffering Matt at his most vulnerable. By confronting their own imperfect relationships, they helped Matt to face his fear of the uncomfortable. They were able to shed tears and support each other in a touching correction of the stoicism associated with male friendships in movies today.

Even in the scene where the men had a deep talk, they teased each other for Matt liking Ed Sheeran, Julian having a pierced ear and Neil marrying his therapist. Comedies are usually based on absurdity, but allowing realistic characters and dialogue to dominate the movie did two things: first, it let the writers make jokes realistic to everyday conversation and second, it allowed the absurd moments to be even funnier.

Most of the budget was probably spent on three paychecks: those of Kevin James, Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli. Sheeran’s cameo was short, but James and Bocelli were worth every penny. Kevin James’ acting was really able to shine. While being type-cast for comedy movies, “Solo Mio” and its heavy backdrop allowed him to really show off his range. I was impressed by his ability to convey much deeper and darker emotion.

Bocelli was allotted a larger role than he probably deserved in the story, but I’m not complaining about getting to hear more of his voice. After the obligatory miscommunicative falling out between Matt and the lovely Gia (Nicole Grimaudo), Matt embraced the uncomfortable to win her back. He did this by accompanying Bocelli in a song. Once again, I was impressed by Kevin James’ performance, but it was brave to sing next to Bocelli, who obviously stole the show.

Through the love of his friends and his budding romance with Gia, Matt learned part of what love is. “Solo Mio” focuses on the side of love that involves embracing the unknown and uncomfortable. Matt learned that love means facing his fears and anxieties with those he loves, not using them as a means of avoidance. This is only a fraction of what the Bible teaches about love, but is an important reminder in a world that tells us love is an endless pursuit of selfish pleasure.

The best part of the movie was what it said about brokenness. Matt had the opportunity to go home and give up. He chose not to. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, he chose to have hope. At first it was the hope of restoring his relationship; later, it was the hope that he could be in a truly happy one. Where most of the world says to quit and give up, “Solo Mio” takes a stand on the side of faith and hope in the face of suffering – much like Paul from the Bible.

Whether you want a feel-good rom-com, a film that makes you think deeply or something that simply cares about quality, “Solo Mio” is for everyone.

“Solo Mio” is currently playing in theaters. It releases to Angel Studios’ streaming service on Valentine’s day.

Josh Ball is a junior history major. He enjoys reading literature to evaluate the author’s worldview in light of the Christian one, and now he wants to go to Rome more than ever.

Images courtesy of Angel Studios.