Photo Credit: Amazon Prime Video
Series review: From Scratch
Netflix’ s show is the epitome of a painful and pleasurable watch, but it’ s worth it- Isabella Womack reviews
After seeing the limited series From Scratch appear on Netflix, I was immediately excited. It was a delight to obsess over another couple and their dramatic love story, like I previously had with Connell and Marianne from‘ Normal People’ and Tessa and Hardin in‘ After’.
The new romance series is inspired by the book From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke. What began as an enjoyable romantic series including many cliches of the genre, such as: a hot couple, rising tension, a confession of love in the rain, sex and then marriage, unfolds into a complete tragedy.
The story encompasses the relationship between two artists; Amy Wheeler, an aspiring painter and Lino Ortolano, a Sicilian chef. Throughout their relationship, their immensely opposing cultures intertwine, they support each other’ s dreams and face some incredibly difficult and unexpected challenges together, including a diagnosis of terminal cancer.
This love-filled but heartbreaking series may have some cheesy moments, but it is a great binge-watch that will leave you smiling, sobbing and despite everything, leave you wanting a Lino of your own.
Amy( played by Zoe Saldaña) is a Texan Law student who spends a summer in Florence, Italy, to study art; a decision that her father disapproves. Lino,( played by Eugenio Mastrandrea), is a young and talented chef from Sicily.
He fled the crippling burden of his family’ s generational tradition of farming and the conservative constraints of his small Sicilian town. This rebellion, tied to marrying without the permission of his father, creates an unfixable wound in their relationship.
The couple spontaneously meets each other through a mutual friend on the streets of Florence. Their relationship eventually leads to marriage and Lino moves to Los Angelos, Amy’ s home. The couple takes risks in their careers to reach their dreams and support one another with endless devotion.
Although, this happiness is shortlived. Lino is diagnosed with a rare form of tissue cancer in his knee, leiomyosarcoma. The series then follows Lino, Amy, and their families as they navigate the heartbreaking aftermath of this discovery.
The biggest problem with From Scratch is that the drama in the series fluctuates from heavy to fluffy moments; I feel that the series could have been more impactful as a three or four-part series. One moment I was glued to my screen, crying, or laughing and then another I was doing the dishes while it was on in the background. The series, too often, glosses over the tests the couple face in an unrelatable and unrealistic way.
During an earlier episode there is a love triangle between Amy, Lino, and Giancarlo. Giancarlo is the owner of a well-respected art gallery. This was an opportunity for some delicious drama to unfold. But instead, it was solved without any real tension and leaves you wondering if Amy even liked Giancarlo in the first place. What was the point of that storyline?
The great features of this series were the actors themselves. In particular, the families of Lino and Amy. Amy’ s sister Zora( played by Danielle Deadwyler) acts as the ride or die, protective, witty older sister, who is a constant support pillar of Amy and a pivotal character of the series.
Amy’ s dad Hershel( played by Keith David) acts as the supportive, lovable, and cowboy-hatted father-figure. The passionate and raw performances of the lead characters feel real; they share genuine vulnerability and sexy chemistry with one another.
Some of their moments together relating to Lino’ s illness feel so genuine, it left me with genuine tears. Another strength of the series is the quality cinematography.
The breathtaking beauty of Sicily, Florence and the presentation of the Italian cuisine was captured effortlessly by Brian Pearson and Patrick Murguia.
From Scratch is a good series, but it is an even better binge watch. The actors’ performances make this show truly special and worth watching, even the fluffier bits. The American and Silican cultural differences and family drama that fill the series, feels true to a realistic family dynamic.
These factors take a simple love story cliché, of man meets woman, into a relatable, humorous but also devastating story about family, love, and loss.
From Scratch takes the throne for beautiful but painful romances.
With great acting, love, and drama, you cannot go wrong with this series.
Are some moments a bit uneventful or hard to watch?
Yes, but would I watch it again? Absolutely.