Woody Allen’s ‘To Rome With Love’ takes in $3.7M in Italy opening weekend

Director Woody Allen's new film "To Rome With Love,"' has already taken in $3.7M in Italy during its opening weekend and is the nation's current No. 1 film, according to CNN.

The much anticipated movie opens this week in the United States on June 22 and follows on the heels of last year's "Midnight in Paris." It is among a series of foreign-based productions including 2005's "Match Point" set in London and 2008's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" set in Spain which features Penelope Cruz.

Cruz, who won an Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" return to the screen in his latest adventure set in Italy.

LA Weekly called the film "a dreamlike rumination on love, mortality, celebrity and art starring Allen as a director (of operas) crippled by his fear of death, whose faith in the power of his work to ensure immortality is weakened by his suspicion that nothing he's left behind will stand the test of time."

The cast includes Alec Baldwin who plays a "wistful architect" and Ellen Page, who plays a self-absorbed actress, USA TODAY wrote.

"There are such strong personalities to these cities," Allen told USA TODAY. "Rome is chaotic, hilarious, joyfully alive and full of farce. Paris has a romantic lovers' feel, a nostalgic feeling. In Italy, you don't think back to the earlier eras so much. It really came into its own post-World War II, and that is when Italian filmmakers began to define their country for Americans. It is very energetic and lusty."

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