Something New (Qualcosa di nuovo) is a light yet emotionally resonant Italian romantic comedy that explores friendship, identity, and unexpected attraction. Directed by Cristina Comencini, the film centers on two middle-aged women, Lucia and Maria, whose long-time friendship is tested when both become involved with a much younger man, Luca. What begins as flirtation quickly turns into a journey of self-reflection and role reversal.
Lucia is pragmatic, cautious, and has built her life around stability. After a divorce, she has grown disillusioned with romance and maintains a guarded attitude toward men. She avoids risk and prefers predictability in her relationships and daily routines. Maria, by contrast, is spontaneous, flirtatious, and indulgent when it comes to romantic adventures. She embraces possibility, often acting on impulse, especially when it comes to love.
Their friendship is strong but full of contrast: Lucia’s orderliness often clashes with Maria’s emotional openness. One night, Maria meets Luca, a handsome nineteen-year-old who seems to embody everything that the women have either rejected or longed for. In an act of daring, Maria invites Lucia to engage in a shared deception: they pretend to share a common life, fabricating details about their status, desires, and even romantic entanglements, in order to fit into Luca’s youthful, carefree world.
As the lie deepens, so too do the consequences. Lucia begins to question her own rigidity; Maria confronts parts of herself she has never truly known or acknowledged. Their roles shift — Lucia becomes more daring, more vulnerable; Maria becomes more measured, more introspective. Both must face the tension between who they thought they were, and who they might become. The film’s humor often arises from misunderstandings, awkward situations, and the contrast between youthful passion and the more sober reflections that come with experience.
Visually and tonally, Something New leans into warmth and authenticity. The Italian setting, the casual elegance of the characters’ lives, the beauty of everyday interaction — all are used to ground the story in real emotions. The pacing allows space for small moments: a glance, a hesitation, a regret. The performances by Paola Cortellesi (Lucia) and Micaela Ramazzotti (Maria) bring charm and depth; they make you root for both women, even when they mess up, even when each is forced to confront uncomfortable truths about aging, desire, and what society expects from women at their stage of life.
At its core, the film is about what it means to change — to embrace vulnerability, to admit longing, and to allow impulses to disrupt your worldview. It challenges stereotypes about older women, about age gaps, about what is acceptable in love. And it asks: when life offers a chance at something new, are we brave enough to take it?
Though it contains familiar tropes of romantic comedy, Something New uses them not just for laughs but as a lens through which to examine personal growth. By the conclusion, the story doesn’t wrap everything up neatly — but that’s part of its appeal. It recognizes that love, truth, and self-understanding are messy, unpredictable, and deeply human.
