What I Disliked About Puccini (Review)

One does not need to be a fan of opera to understand that opera is a high art form with theatrically dramatic elements. Puccini For Beginners shares nothing with opera other than a minor thread that ties a couple of the characters together. The film lacks the passion that I associate with opera. In fact, I did not find anything within this film that could possibly impel a diva to burst forth with an aria. Puccini For Beginners was a mediocre film that tried hard to be relevant, but fell flat in the process.

Allegara (Elizabeth Reaser) is a lesbian. She is defined by that aspect of her being. She is not an opera lover that likes women, she is not a New Yorker who attends opera and sleeps with women. She is not an author who enjoys the company of women. She is a lesbian. That is the central theme of Allegra's character. Allegra sees the world (to include Opera) through a woman empowered worldview. This is demonstrated through discussions about opera with her friends where Allegra uses fancy words like "misogynist," to describe composers. Allegra's discussions seem plebian and weak with very little substance to support her tepid assertions. But it helped paint the picture regarding who Allegra is.

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