People are loving and hating the Little Italy movie shot in Toronto
A movie about the romance between two star-crossed pizza makers on College Street premiered last night at the Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, and it was... definitely a movie.
Called Little Italy, the film is set in Toronto's neighbourhood of the same name.
It's a rom-com starring Emma Roberts and Hayden Christensen, as well as Danny Aiello, Andrea Martin and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Jane Seymour.
Watched #LittleItaly last night and it was super cute. Super cheesy. And it had it’s funny moments.
— Gelsomina 🥀 (@GessRanaudo) August 23, 2018
I just wish I could have coached them with how Canadian Italians speak because they didn’t do so well and it was irking my soul. I’m sorry ☹️
The flick's cover art went viral on Twitter earlier this year for looking like it's from 2005.
This movie is coming out in a month and not in the year 2005 as you may have guessed pic.twitter.com/6uTRuS6d9S
— rob trench (@robtrench) July 15, 2018
The "Romeo and Juliet of pizza" plot also struck many online as dated, but to be fair, I think that's what the filmmakers were going for?
Director Donald Petrie is, after all, the man behind Miss Congeniality, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and the Lindsay Lohan classic Just My Luck.
How the actual fuck is Little Italy a movie that was made this year?? You're telling me a movie starring Emma Roberts and Hayden Christensen about a Romeo and Juliet style love story between the children of rival pizza shop owners isn't from 2004???
— Elonagar Muskagon (@DopeDave94) August 23, 2018
Most of the locals tweeting about it right now have yet to actually see the movie, but they have lots of opinions about its existence and format.
I am in love with Emma Roberts and the movie is filmed in Toronto and I still think it’s embarrassing that her new movie “Little Italy” is actually being played in a movie theatre. There’s so many great films to be shown always and that’s not right
— DW (@DanielWineberg) August 22, 2018
Those who attended the premier were psyched to meet actor Emma Roberts — niece of the OG romantic comedy lead Julia Roberts.
Me and emma roberts she’s from a movie called little Italy and tb show called Scream Queen. Thanks @RobertsEmma for taking the time to take a photo With me pic.twitter.com/8DMXbzBQkM
— Marianne Market (@MarianneMarket) August 23, 2018
They were also stoked for Hayden Christensen, a Canadian actor who was in two Star Wars movies and dated Summer from The O.C. for about a decade.
#HaydenChristensen giving #autographs to his @fans ❤️ pic.twitter.com/4ke2UgDEHb
— AmazingHaydenChristensen (@AmazingHaydenCh) August 23, 2018
Jaleel White — aka Steve Urkel — was there, too!
I was lucky enough to meet Jaleel White aka Urkel from Family Matters!! At the #LittleItaly World Premier tonight. @TOFilming_EM @yvrshoots @WhatsFilmingON pic.twitter.com/xfdOw59MW2
— Toronto Filming (@TOFilming_EM) August 23, 2018
Toronto City Councillor Norm Kelly was one of many other celebrities to walk the red carpet.
Shout out to all our friends who came out last night for the Toronto premiere of #LittleItalyFilm! It hits Canadian theatres TOMORROW and 🇺🇸 Sept 21! pic.twitter.com/yKkZzKWUmV
— Little Italy Film (@littleitalyfilm) August 23, 2018
Love or hate the film, it did have some pretty cool experiential marketing setups in the days leading up to its world premier in Toronto.
The streets of #Toronto are full of love, pizza, and #LittleItalyFilm fans! These happy couples found our @PizzaNova trucks and got free slices and movie vouchers to see Little Italy – In theatres 🇨🇦 FRIDAY, and 🇺🇸 Sept 21! pic.twitter.com/TZ3WDB0fB7
— Little Italy Film (@littleitalyfilm) August 20, 2018
Who doesn't love free pizza, right?
I received a free slice of pizza and a free ticket to see that new #LittleItaly movie and I'm still not sure I want to see it.
— Melissa (@melissasprofile) August 23, 2018
In the words of my favourite Italian-American-Japanese video game character, "Mamma mia!"
Entertainment One
