Falling for Figaro

American fund manager Millie Cantwell, whose life-long dream is to become an opera singer, quits her lucrative job in London just after being offered a promotion. Deciding to take a year to make it, she moves away from her boyfriend Charlie and travels to the Scottish Highlands for intense vocal training from former opera diva Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop.

Patricia Hartley from the London conservatory suggests Millie contact the retired diva to train for the annual competition Singer of Renown in hopes of winning a spot in an opera company. She convinces her to give her an audition by offering a very high hourly rate for lessions. Her only other student Max Thistlewaite who, unable to pay in cash, works around her cottage.

Arriving in the tiny Scottish town, Millie again convinces the pub The Filthy Pig owner Ramsay to give her a room by mentioning a prolonged stay. Max also works in the pub, and is very agitated upon discovering his direct competition.

As Millie sits in the pub, Max is openly hostile towards her. The half dozen patrons openly discuss his possibility to 'lift the curse'. In the morning, Max intentionally interrupts her audition by opening the spigot by the window. Even so, after trying to break Millie down, Meghan offers to train her.

On the morning of her first lesson, Millie discovers Max is Mrs. Geoffrey-Bishop's other student. She asks Ramsay about Max, who has been there training under her for five years. He also will be trying to win the competition, his third and last attempt. When Millie asks Ramsay if the diva has only taken her on for the money, he points out that the whole village's income is mostly from her.

Meghan's harsh methods hurt both Millie's tongue and vocal chords. Max, seeing her pain, brings her a jug of warm salted water to gargle with. Ramsay, after hearing Millie sing in her room, approaches Meghan to suggest she not be so harsh. When Max asks, Meghan suggests the competition could be good for him as she sees potential in Millie.

Max coaches Millie a bit, and shares some books on voice theory. They both participate in an Edinburgh recital and a critic highly praises Millie while noting that Max's singing lacks feeling. Meghan has them work on a duet together, so just as they are about to connect Charlie calls. He has come for a surprise visit. Max is visibly upset, as Charlie stays the night with Millie.

Practicing the duet in front of Meghan the next day, she points out the piece would be more effective if they sang it to each other, although it did bring tears to her eyes. Afterwards, Millie apologises to Max for Charlie's interruption of their rehearsal and asks him not to tell Meghan about her visitor. When he asks if they are engaged, she vehemently insists not.

When Meghan notices Max seems interested in Millie, she suggests he go away for a bit so that Millie misses him. It seems to work, as when he returns in a few days to celebrate both of them being accepted to compete in Singer of Renown, they start to fool around, but Millie insists they stop. She also believes they should have no contact until after the competition.

Millie is the fifth of the 15. As she departs the stage, Max approaches her on bended knee. Overwhelmed, Millie runs off to the restrooms. Meghan follows, then insists she give an answer. Millie hands her the ring box, to which their teacher replies Max will either sink or swim. He ends up winning.

Three years later, the now established Max finds his counterpart in Don Giovanni is ill, so Millie is one of his two options. She tells him her relationship with Charlie ended when she did not return to work with him. Max and her performance is successful.

{{Cast listing|

• Danielle Macdonald as Millie Cantwell (singing by Stacey Alleaume)
• Hugh Skinner as Max Thistlewaite (singing by Nathan Lay)
• Joanna Lumley as Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop
• Gary Lewis as Ramsay Macfadyen
• Shazad Latif as Charlie
• Rebecca Benson as Rosa
• Ian Hanmore as Patrick
• Bhav Joshi as Elliot
• Saskia Ashdown as Eve
• Christina Bennington as Juliet
• Jo Cameron Brown as Juliet's nurse
• Vanessa Borrini as Vanessa
• Margaret Fraser as Alexandra
• Alasdair Hankinson as stagehand
• Mark Weinman as Victor
• Andrew J. Carter as Fergus McKinnon
• Emily Mwila as Emily
• Alasdair Braxton as bellboy
• Vicki Pepperdine as Patricia

}}

Casting for Falling for Figaro began on 29 October 2019 with Joanna Lumley and Danielle Macdonald in the lead roles.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/10/danielle-macdonald-joanna-lumley-opera-rom-com-falling-for-figaro-1202771351/|last=Grater|first=Tom|title=Patti Cake$ Star Danielle Macdonald, Joanna Lumley Board Opera Rom-Com Falling For Figaro – AF|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=29 October 2019|access-date=27 October 2021}} On 13 December 2019, Hugh Skinner, Shazad Latif and Rebecca Benson joined the team.{{cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/hugh-skinner-shazad-latif-rebecca-benson-board-uk-comedy-falling-for-figaro-exclusive/5145662.article|title=Hugh Skinner, Shazad Latif, Rebecca Benson board UK comedy Falling For Figaro|last=MacNab|first=Geoffrey|work=Screen Daily|date=13 December 2019|access-date=27 October 2021}}

Falling for Figaro was filmed in locations in the Scottish Highlands and Trossachs including Glencoe, Loch Lomond and two theatres in Glasgow.{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/film-and-tv/filming-underway-scottish-highlands-new-romantic-comedy-starring-joanna-lumley-1398272|last=Ferguson|first=Brian|title=Filming underway in Scottish Highlands for new romantic comedy starring Joanna Lumley|work=The Scotsman|date=5 January 2020|access-date=27 October 2021}} The production of the film was funded by Screen Australia, Screen Scotland and Film Victoria and took only two winter months to make (December–January).{{cite magazine|title=Rom-com Falling for Figaro to screen at TIFF Industry Selects|url=https://www.if.com.au/rom-com-falling-for-figaro-to-screen-at-tiff-industry-selects/|magazine=IF Magazine|date=7 September 2020|last=Groves|first=Don}} The film's post production was in Melbourne, Australia, in February.

The film includes music from many renowned operas, including The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Romeo and Juliet, La traviata, Carmen and The Magic Flute.

Falling for Figaro was screened for industry professionals in the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival's Industry Selects section, but was not made available for viewing by the general public. It was screened at several film festivals in 2021, including the Film by the Sea Film Festival in Vlissingen, Netherlands, the 2021 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival,{{cite web|url=https://www.sudbury.com/lifestyle/cinefest-still-presenting-hybrid-festival-for-2021-but-trying-to-restore-some-normalcy-4257248|last=Ulrichsen|first=Heidi|title=Cinéfest still presenting hybrid festival for 2021, but trying to restore some normalcy|website=Sudbury.com|date=26 August 2021|access-date=27 October 2021}} the Berkshire International Film Festival{{cite web|url=https://watch.eventive.org/biffma/play/611bf802caaba100a9d91e30|title=Falling for Figaro|publisher=Berkshire International Film Festival|access-date=27 October 2021}} and the Sedona Film Festival.{{cite web|url=https://sedonafilmfestival.com/event/flagstaff-premiere-falling-for-figaro/|title=Flagstaff Premiere: Falling for Figaro|publisher=Sedona International Film Festival|access-date=27 October 2021}} The film also was screened in the Official Selection at the 2021 British Film Festival.{{cite web|title=Falling for Figaro|publisher=British Film Festival|access-date=27 October 2021|url=https://britishfilmfestival.com.au/films/falling-for-figaro}}

WestEnd Films announced on 24 September 2020 that distribution rights for the film had been sold to several partners in various international markets.{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/global/westend-falling-for-figaro-joanna-lumley-1234782185/|last=Ramachandran|first=Naman|authorlink=Naman Ramachandran|title=WestEnd Sells Joanna Lumley's Falling for Figaro into U.K., China, Australia|magazine=Variety|date=24 September 2020}}

Falling for Figaro was released by various distributors almost all over the world. In Australia and New Zealand, the film is distributed by Umbrella Entertainment and Paramount Pictures. In Europe, film distribution rights were given to Twelve Oaks of Spain, Splendid in Benelux, Investacommerce in former Yugoslavian states, and Entertainment Film Distributors in the United Kingdom.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/09/rom-com-falling-for-figaro-with-joanna-lumley-danielle-macdonald-sells-to-uk-spain-aus-nz-china-more-1234583380/|website=Deadline Hollywood|last=Wiseman|first=Andreas|title=Rom-Com Falling for Figaro, with Joanna Lumley & Danielle Macdonald, Sells to UK, Spain, Aus/NZ, China, More|date=24 September 2020|access-date=27 October 2021}}

The US distribution rights for the film were brought by IFC Films on 7 December 2020.{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/ifc-films-falling-for-figaro-joanna-lumley-danielle-macdonald-1234847574/|last=Lang|first=Brent|title=IFC Films Buys Falling for Figaro, Rom-Com with Joanna Lumley, Danielle Macdonald|magazine=Variety|date=7 December 2020}} According to Arianna Bocco, the newly anointed president of IFC Films, the film is planned to be released in North America in 2021.{{cite news|title=Joanna Lumley comedy Falling for Figaro lands at IFC Films|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/joanna-lumley-comedy-falling-for-figaro-lands-at-ifc-films/5155539.article|last=Kay|first=Jeremy|work=Screen Daily|date=7 December 2020|access-date=27 October 2021}}

On 9 December 2020, the deal was reached between UK and other distributors. In Japan the film is scheduled to be released via Happinet, while in South Korea, Entermode will become the distributor. The distributor for Taiwan will be Central Motion Picture Corporation, while people in the Middle East will enjoy it via Phoenicia Pictures. In Europe, Nos Lusomundo will be distributor for Portugal while in Poland it will be shown on various channels including Ale Kino+, Movie Channel, Canal+ Premium and Poland Group. Canadian distribution will be by Pacific Northwest Pictures (in theatres) and Cinesky (on airlines).

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 73% based on 26 critics, with an average rating of 6.5/10.{{cite web |title=Falling for Figaro |type=aggregate review |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/falling_for_figaro |access-date=29 July 2022}} On Metacritic, Falling for Figaro has a rank of 51 out of 100 from six critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{cite web |title=Falling for Figaro |type=aggregate review |website=Metacritic |publisher=Red Ventures |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/falling-for-figaro |access-date=27 October 2021}}

Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "Undemanding rom-com fans and, to a lesser degree, opera lovers, should take some mild pleasure in Falling for Figaro, although the humor isn't of Gilbert and Sullivan proportions".

Guy Lodge of Variety called Falling for Figaro "A corny, cute-enough carpe diem comedy ...",{{cite magazine |last=Lodge |first=Guy |date=3 October 2021 |title=Falling for Figaro review: A fine ensemble sings the high notes in a corny, amiable opera comedy |type=film review |magazine=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/falling-for-figaro-review-1235078899/}} while Roxana Hadadi of RogerEbert.com said "The performances are what make Falling for Figaro an entertaining distraction, even as the film plays out exactly as you would expect".{{cite web |last=Hadadi |first=Roxana |date=1 October 2021 |title=Falling for Figaro |type=film review |website=RogerEbert.com |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/falling-for-figaro-movie-review-2021 |access-date=27 October 2021}}

Other critics were less positive. Gary Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times wrote "It's hard to fall for Falling for Figaro".{{cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Gary |date=29 September 2021 |title=Falling for Figaro fails to hit the high (or even so-so) notes |type=film review |newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-09-29/review-falling-for-figaro-danielle-macdonald |url-access=subscription |access-date=27 October 2021}} Beatrice Loayza of The New York Times admitted that "it's refreshing to see a plus-size woman not only nab the promotion and the hunky guy, but throw it all away within the first 15 minutes. Unfortunately, my plaudits for Falling for Figaro mostly end there".{{cite news |last=Loayza |first=Beatrice |date=30 September 2021 |title=Falling for Figaro review: When the overtures are operatic |type=film review |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/30/movies/falling-for-figaro-review.html |access-date=27 October 2021}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.fallingforfigaro.movie/}}
• {{IMDb title|7392014}}

{{Ben Lewin}}

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Category:2021 romantic comedy films

Category:2021 films

Category:2020s English-language films

Category:Australian romantic comedy films

Category:British romantic comedy films

Category:Films directed by Ben Lewin

Category:Films scored by Cezary Skubiszewski

Category:Films shot in Scotland

Category:Madman Entertainment

Category:Films about opera

Category:2020s British films

Category:2020s Australian films

Category:English-language romantic comedy films