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THE BREAD, MY SWEET

Scott Baio, late of TV’s Charles in Charge and Happy Days, repackages himself as a romantic lead in this Italian version of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. His Dominic is a cold-hearted corporate raider who runs a biscotti bakery on the side to keep his two brothers — one is mentally handicapped (Shuler Hensley) and the other (Billy Mott) is a philanderer — employed. He also looks after Bella (Rosemary Prinz) and Massimo (John Seitz), the elderly yet boisterous Italian couple above the bakery who’ve embraced him as their surrogate son. The plot, jerkily managed by writer/director Melissa Martin, strikes Bella with cancer and then has Dominic hatch a plan to give her that big Italian wedding she’s always dreamed of by marrying her long-absent daughter (Kristin Minter). No matter how deceitfully manipulative (and maudlin) the twists get, the film registers more sincerity than its Greek counterpart. Baio and Minter are pleasing as the leads, but it’s Prinz and Seitz who give The Bread, My Sweet life. She charms with her winsome waxings while Seitz bulls around in his walker calling Dominic a "jerk-off." (105 minutes)

BY TOM MEEK

Issue Date: June 20 - 26, 2003
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