Little Italy (2018 film)

Little Italy is an English-language romantic comedy film starring Emma Roberts and Hayden Christensen. It is directed by Donald Petrie based on a screenplay by Steve Galluccio and Vinay Virmani. It also stars Alyssa Milano, Adam Ferrara, Gary Basaraba, Linda Kash, Andrew Phung, Cristina Rosato, Danny Aiello and Andrea Martin.

Plot
Nikki and Leo both grow up in "Little Italy", a place where their families are running pizza business (“Pizza Napoli”) together, located in Toronto. For several years, the verbal conflict between Sal and Vince (father of Nikki and Leo respectively) caused their pizza business to dissolve, thus they founded their own pizza businesses next to each other's doors, and resulting Nikki leaving the family for London to study cooking. However, Chef Corinne temporarily gives Nikki a break for two weeks so that she can have time to change her visa and to work a cooking menu for the upcoming cooking exhibit.

Upon arriving home in Toronto, Nikki first met Leo at the bar and they drunkenly play soccer in a midst of the thunderstorm. The next day, she is welcomed by her family on her arrival. Vince, Leo and other crew are later arrested for lacing the pizza with marijuana to the customers during the party but they are released shortly after. Leo later bonds a relationship with Nikki for few days and they slept together after they rode together around the town reliving their childhood memories. Nikki receives a call from Corinne, saying that she wants a cooking a menu, otherwise she will promote another one. Struggling, Nikki expressed her regrets to Leo for having with him and she confronts him for focusing on soccer instead of pizza business. Meanwhile, their respective grandparent's, Franca and Carlo are engaging each other for the last time and Franca finally agrees to marry him, despite she kept a promise from her late husband of not to marry again.

During their family dinner at the restaurant, Franca and Carlo announce about their engagement, which results in Sal and Vince to begin exchange insults, to a point where Vince decides to enter the pizza competition with Sal, saying that whoever loses will "go out" from the “Little Italy”. When the two realize that they are banned from the competition due their fallout from the previous competition, they decide, Nikki and Leo to enter the competition. When Leo said that Nikki let him won at the soccer the other night, she slaps him and storms out in anger.

At the competition, after advancing to the finals, Leo is declared as the winner and Nikki departs to the airport for London. However, Leo refuses to take the trophy because he realises that Nikki had switched the sauce so that Leo stays in Little Italy. Realising that Nikki has gone to the airport, Leo goes after her. To which both the families also follow after them. Leo and the family catch her, and he pledges to stay with him because she is the only one he wanted, not the pizza or the war between their fathers, and also he is in love with her and has always been in love with her. Nikki departs but shortly she comes back after taking her luggage back and they both share a kiss, finally declaring her love to him. After that, they ask Sal and Vince about their fight, in which they admit that the fight was about their parents Franca and Carlo; back in 1999, after winning the competition, Sal and Val argue for the name of the winning pizza after their respective parent, resulting the beginning of the rivalry. France and Carlo refused their part to be name after it and, after finally announcing that they are getting married, Sal and Val hug each other, formally ending the rivalry.

Sometime later, the families are all celebrating at “Pizza Organica” where Nikki had invited Corinne, who reveals that she was forced to shut down her restaurant after receiving negative reviews from the critics. Franca tells Carlo that she is pregnant and happily announces to the family. Nikki and Leo, along with other crew, are all dancing together.

Cast

 * Emma Roberts as Nicoletta "Nikki" Angioli
 * Hayden Christensen as Leo Campoli
 * Alyssa Milano as Dora
 * Adam Ferrara as Salvatore "Sal" Angioli
 * Gary Basaraba as Vincenzo "Vince" Campoli
 * Linda Kash as Amelia
 * Andrew Phung as Luigi
 * Cristina Rosato as Gina
 * Danny Aiello as Carlo
 * Andrea Martin as Franca
 * Jane Seymour as Corrine

Production
In July 2017, it was announced Hayden Christensen, Emma Roberts, Andrea Martin, Alyssa Milano, Danny Aiello, Adam Ferrara, Gary Basaraba, Andrew Phung, and Jane Seymour had joined the cast of the film, with Donald Petrie directing from a screenplay by Steve Galluccio and Vinay Virmani. Pauline Dhillon and Ajay Virmani will serve as producers on the film, while Fred Fuchs, Tiffany Kuzon, Patrick Roy and Christina Kubacki will serve as executive producers, under their Firsttake Entertainment, Telefilm Canada and Gem Entertainment banners, respectively. Entertainment One will distribute in Canada.

Principal photography began in June 2017.

Release
The film is scheduled to be released in Canada on August 24, 2018, by Entertainment One. and in the United States on September 21, 2018, by Lionsgate.