Manual of Love 2 (2007)
🎬 Manual of Love 2 (2007): A Complete Introduction to Italy’s Multi-Faceted Love Story
Title: Manuale d’amore 2 (Capitoli successivi)
Directed by: Giovanni Veronesi
Country: Italy
Language: Italian
Runtime: 120 minutes
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Drama
Starring: Carlo Verdone, Monica Bellucci, Fabio Volo, Sergio Rubini, Riccardo Scamarcio, Barbora Bobuľová
❤️ Overview: A Sequel That Expands the Language of Love
Released in 2007, Manual of Love 2 (original Italian title: Manuale d’amore 2 – Capitoli successivi) is the much-anticipated follow-up to the 2005 Italian hit Manuale d’amore. Once again directed by Giovanni Veronesi, the sequel continues the series’ signature style of weaving together multiple short stories, each representing different stages or types of romantic relationships.
Where the first film explored love in four linear stages — falling in love, crisis, cheating, and breakup — the second entry dives into more complex, modern, and socially relevant aspects of love, including:
- Fertility struggles
- Same-sex love
- Cultural boundaries
- Disability and intimacy
By balancing humor, emotion, social commentary, and strong performances, Manual of Love 2 aims to portray the diversity and universality of human connection in contemporary Italy.
🎞 Narrative Structure: Love in Four New Chapters
Much like its predecessor, Manual of Love 2 is composed of four interconnected vignettes, each one exploring a different facet of romantic and emotional life. Let’s break down each chapter:
📘 Chapter 1: “Eros” – The Longing for Parenthood
Starring: Fabio Volo, Barbora Bobuľová
This chapter follows a young married couple who are deeply in love but face a painful challenge: infertility. As they navigate fertility treatments and the emotional toll it takes on their intimacy, the story explores how the pressure to conceive can either fracture or deepen a relationship.
This segment combines lighthearted domestic moments with heartfelt struggle, reflecting a dilemma many modern couples face — the desire to start a family when biology doesn’t cooperate. The performances are tender and sincere, with Volo and Bobuľová showing natural chemistry.
🌈 Chapter 2: “Gay” – Forbidden Love in a Traditional World
Starring: Sergio Rubini, Riccardo Scamarcio
In this provocative and moving story, a middle-aged man (played by Sergio Rubini) travels to Spain and unexpectedly falls in love with a younger man (Riccardo Scamarcio). Their romance is passionate and freeing, but when they return to Italy — a society still grappling with LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance — the relationship becomes fraught with fear, shame, and the pressure to conform.
This chapter is a standout for its courage and relevance, offering one of Italian cinema’s more nuanced portrayals of same-sex relationships at the time. It examines generational divides, the politics of love, and the internal conflict of coming out.
🕌 Chapter 3: “Trans” – Love Across Cultures
Starring: Antonio Albanese, Kasia Smutniak
Here, the film shifts tone to tackle intercultural and interfaith relationships. A quirky Italian man falls in love with a beautiful, strong-willed Muslim woman. But as the romance deepens, cultural and religious differences — along with family expectations — challenge their connection.
This segment blends comedy and poignancy. It asks important questions: Can love transcend ideology? What are the limits of personal freedom in the face of tradition? Through satire and charm, Veronesi probes deeper societal issues without preaching.
♿ Chapter 4: “Disability” – Passion Beyond Limits
Starring: Carlo Verdone, Monica Bellucci
The final chapter is perhaps the most touching. Carlo Verdone plays a cynical journalist assigned to report on the rights of disabled people. In the process, he meets Lucia (Monica Bellucci), a paraplegic woman whose wit, confidence, and sensuality challenge everything he thought he knew about desire and intimacy.
This segment is both romantic and philosophical, breaking down stereotypes about disability and human connection. Bellucci’s performance is understated and powerful, while Verdone brings warmth and transformation to his role.
🎭 Performances and Characters: Stars Who Shine
The cast of Manual of Love 2 is a strong mix of veterans and rising stars, each delivering performances that make their segments stand out.
- Monica Bellucci lends her elegance and emotional depth to a rare role portraying disability with authenticity.
- Riccardo Scamarcio, a heartthrob of Italian cinema, shows maturity and vulnerability as a man navigating a forbidden love.
- Carlo Verdone, known for his comedic roles, brings gravitas to the theme of rediscovering empathy and intimacy.
- Fabio Volo and Barbora Bobuľová anchor the opening chapter with realism and warmth.
Director Giovanni Veronesi manages to balance very different tones across the four stories — romantic, comedic, dramatic, and political — while maintaining a cohesive emotional arc.
🎥 Cinematic Style and Music
The film is visually polished and aesthetically vibrant. Its Rome and Barcelona backdrops are beautifully shot, and the cinematography uses warm, earthy tones to reflect the film’s emotional intimacy.
The musical score, composed by Paolo Buonvino, complements the narrative with subtle elegance — from upbeat romantic themes to reflective piano pieces.
🗣 Themes and Cultural Significance
Manual of Love 2 is more than just a romance film. It reflects a shifting Italy, where traditional views of love are being challenged by global culture, progressive movements, and evolving norms.
Key themes include:
- Modern masculinity and vulnerability
- The normalization of LGBTQ+ relationships
- Cross-cultural romance
- The right to love with dignity, regardless of ability
The film doesn’t offer easy answers. Instead, it presents love as messy, diverse, and often difficult — but always worth pursuing.
🌍 International Reception and Legacy
Manual of Love 2 was a box office success in Italy and received a warm reception across Europe, especially in countries where Italian cinema maintains a strong cultural presence. While not widely released in the U.S., it found a niche audience through film festivals and foreign-language channels.
Critics praised its emotional range and boldness, especially for addressing topics rarely explored in mainstream Italian cinema.
The film was followed by:
- Manuale d’amore 3 (2011) — with Robert De Niro joining the cast.
- Discussions of a fourth installment, though no official sequel has emerged.
📚 Conclusion: A Love Story for the Modern Age
Manual of Love 2 (2007) expands the emotional and thematic territory of its predecessor by daring to ask:
“What happens when love doesn’t fit the mold?”
Through four unique and beautifully told stories, it gives voice to people often overlooked in romantic storytelling — from same-sex lovers and interfaith couples to the disabled and those facing infertility.
It is a film that invites laughter, tears, and reflection — all in under two hours. Rich in character and cultural nuance, it remains one of the most heartfelt and progressive entries in Italian romantic cinema.
