Il Divin Codino

The problem (and prodigy) child of Italian football, often at loggerheads with coaches and bosses, but an absolute crowd favourite. "The Italian Maradona", Ballon d'Or winner, God-given talent (or rather, Buddha-given), who could make many a heart dance with his dribbles. And let's be honest, in the 90's the azzuro squad was watched just for "what Roby will do". And yet for every single fan around the world, when Baggio's name is mentioned, one of the most iconic moments in world football comes to mind: the missed penalty in the 1994 World Cup final. But that's not exactly what this film is about. Football exists casually somewhere on the third rail (though the few moments are impressive), it deals primarily with Baggio's uneasy relationship with his father and father figures, his desire for recognition, overcoming his injuries, and his journey to Buddhism. And it's shockingly generic, too fly-by-night over nearly three decades, often naive to the point of smacking of Buddhism recruitment ad. Arcengeli, who not only looks like Baggio, but also plays well, keeps it afloat. A solid TV movie that you can easily finish, but in a few months you won't even know you ever saw it. (29/05/2021)