When the spotlight was on the Olympic Winter Games, Feb. 6 through Feb. 22 in Milano and Cortina in northern Italy, the timing was good for the movie, “Solo Mio.”

The timing for Matt Taylor in the movie, “Solo Mio,” is a whole other story, and that “is” the story in the romantic comedy, which proves to be a real charmer.

A big part of the charm is Kevin James, who plays the role of Matt with sad-sack vulnerability, a clueless male outlook and a willingness to change his ways.

In an innovative way to promote “Solo Mio,” Kevin James posted on Tik Tok and Instagram as Matt in character as the elementary school art teacher he plays in the movie.

Kevin James also appeared in character as Matt and was shown sitting dejectedly in the bleachers at Super Bowl LX during the Feb. 8 telecast. His sadness wasn’t because the New England Patriots football team lost to the Seattle Seahawks.

Kevin James (born Kevin George Knipfing. April 26, 1965, in Mineola, Long Island, N.Y.) started out as a stand-up comedian. He’s noted for the long-running TV series comedy, “The King of Queens” (1998-2007), for which he was a Primetime Emmy Awards actor nominee (2006).

Kevin James starred in the movie “Home Team” (2022) and “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” (2009) and its sequel (2015). He also headlined the TV series, “Kevin Can Wait” (2016-2018).

The charm of “Solo Mio” is also based on the chemistry between Kevin James’ character of Matt, a typical America bro-guy, and that of Nicole Grimaudo as Gia, owner of Caffé Del Sole, a coffeehouse in Rome.

Grimaudo is an award-winning Italian actress (“Diamonds,” 2025; “Loose Cannons,” 2010). Her smile, bright eyes and enthusiastic charisma brims from the movie screen like a jolt of espresso.

Gia is talkative, despite the language barrier. Matt clicks on his phone app to speak Italian. Gia is not fluent in English. Her misunderstanding of Matt’s Idiomatic American expressions provides some of the film’s laugh lines.

Matt is in Italy for a destination wedding. His own. One problem. His fiancée, Heather (Julie Ann Emery) left him standing at the altar.

Matt makes the best of it. The honeymoon is over. He’s not. He continues on the couples’ package Italian itinerary.

Matt befriends two married couples: Neil (Jonathan Roumie) and Donna (Julee Cerda) and Julian (Kim Coates) and Meghan (Alyson Hannigan). They are filled with all kinds of advice for Matt.

One of the film’s main take-aways is that love isn’t always at first sight. It might take a few times to get it right.

The directors of “Solo Mio” are brothers Charles Kinnane and Daniel Kinnane (directors, “Water Brother,” 2024; “Home Team,” and a series of short films with Kevin James) from a screenplay by Kevin James and brothers John Kinnane and Patrick Kinnane.

The Kinnane Brothers is a family-owned independent production company. There are eight brothers.

Another charm factor in “Solo Mio” are the streets of Rome and the landmarks of the Eternal City, Rome, and of the Italian countryside, which play a lovely travelogue role in the cinematography by Director of Photography Jared Fadel.

The movie’s title, “Solo Mio” speaks to Matt’s solo Italian sojourn. The movie’s title is inspired by the Italian ballad, “O Sole Mio” (turning “My Sunshine” to “Lonely Me”).

“O Sole Mio” (1898) was written by Giovanni Capurro, a poet and journalist, and Eduardo di Capua and Alfredo Mazzucchi.

Enrico Caruso (1873-1921) recorded the song in 1916. Mario Lanza (1921-1959) popularized the song. Luciano Pavarotti’s recording received a Grammy Award for Classical Vocal Performance in 1980.

“O Sole Mio” spawned “There’s No Tomorrow,” with lyrics by Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold, recorded in 1949 by Tony Martin.

Elvis Presley recorded a version, “It’s Now Or Never,” No. 1 for five weeks in 1960 on the “Billboard Hot 100” and said to be his biggest hit single, selling 20 million copies worldwide.

Yet another charm factor in the movie “Solo Mio” is its music with a bevy of songs sung in Italian and a lovely score by composer Joy Ngiaw.

Normally, with “At The Movies,” I shy away from spoilers. I won’t reveal a key plot twist in “Solo Mio.”

One of the spoilers, actually two spoilers, are too good to not let you in on them. They are “Solo Mio” ’s best-kept secrets: Ed Sheeran and Adrian Botticelli. And there’s a great connection.

Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli collaborated on a version of Sheeran’s song “Perfect,” titled “Perfect Symphony,” in 2017. Bocelli sings in Italian, as does Sheeran. It was recorded in Bocelli’s home in Tuscany. They also performed it live, including at Wembley Stadium, London, England, in 2018.

Sheeran’s “Perfect Symphony,” on which Bocelli duets with Sheeran, is heard on the soundtrack of “Solo Mio” in the wedding day scene when Matt is left at the altar.

In “Solo Mio,” Matt wears an Ed Sheeran T-Shirt, which evokes a laugh-line in the film.

Andrea Bocelli appears in “Solo Mio” as Gia’s cousin. Matt and the couples’ travel wedding package entourage visit Bocelli in Tuscany.

In “Solo Mio,” Bocelli sings “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini’s “Turandot” and Matt accompanies him.

He’s no Ed Sheeran, but if it’s really Kevin James, he sounds pretty good in his duet with Andrea Bocelli.

Bocelli was not part of “The Three Tenors” (Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, José Carreras) concerts. Bocelli performed at three “Pavarotti & Friends” concerts.

In “Solo Mio,” with Kevin James and Bocelli, it’s two tenors.

Bocelli sang “Nessun Dorma” following the “Parade of Nations” at the Feb. 6 opening of the Winter Olympics as the Olympic flame was carried into San Siro Stadium.

If you want to ignite the flame in your love life, or reignite a flame, then see “Solo Mio.” And don’t go solo.

“Solo Mio,” MPA rated PG (Parental guidance suggested: Some material may not be suitable for children) for some suggestive material, brief language, violence and smoking ; Genre: Romantic Comedy; Run time: 1 hour, 36 minutes. Distributed by Angel Films.

Credit Readers Anonymous: “Solo Mio” was filmed in Rome, Italy. The school classroom scenes were filmed in Deer Park, Long Island, N.Y. “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran is heard during his concert scene. “L-O-V-E,” sung by Nat King Cole, is heard during the end credits.

At The Movies: “Solo Mio” was seen in the standard format at AMC Center Valley 16.

Theatrical Movies Domestic Weekend Box Office, Feb. 20-22: “GOAT” moved up one place to No. 1 with $16.8 million in 3,863 theaters, $58.1 million, two weeks, running around “Wuthering Heights,” dropping one place from its one-week run at No. 1 to No. 2, with $14 million in $3,802 theaters, $59.8 million, two weeks.

3. “I Can Only Imagine 2,” starring Milo Ventimiglia, Dennis Quaid and Trace Adkins in the Drama, $7.7 million in 3,105 theaters, opening. 4. “Crime 101” dropped one place, $5.5 million in 3,161 theaters, $24.4 million, two weeks. 5. “Send Help” dropped one place, $4.4 million in 2,800 theaters, $55.4 million, four weeks. 6. “How to Make a Killing,” starring Glen Powell, Margaret Qualley, Ed Harris and Topher Grace in the Dark Comedy, $3.5 million in 1,625 theaters, opening. 7. “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert,” the documentary Elvis Presley concert film, $3.2 million, opening. 8. “Solo Mio” dropped three places, $2.3 million in 2,300 theaters, $21.6 million, three weeks. 9. “Zootopia 2” dropped three places, $2.2 million in 1,820 theaters, $423.8 million, 13 weeks. 10. “Avatar: Fire and Ash” dropped two places, $1.7 million in 1,335 theaters, $399.4 million, 10 weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Feb. 22 may be subject to change.

Unreel, Feb. 27:

“Scream 7,” MPA rated R; 1 hour, 54 minutes: Kevin Williamson directs Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Isabel May, Joel McHale and Mckenna Grace in the Horror film. A new Ghostface killer appears in the town where Sidney Prescott has started a new life when her daughter is threatened.

“Dreams,” No MPA rating, 1 hour, 35 minutes: Michel Franco directs Jessica Chastain and Isaac Hernández in the Romantic Thriller. An American socialite and a Mexican ballet dancer fall in love.

“EPIC: Elvis Presley In Concert,” MPA PG-13. 1 hour, 30 minutes: Baz Luhrmann directs the documentary film about Elvis Presley based on never-before-seen footage and never-heard recordings.

Movie opening dates from Internet Movie Database as of Feb. 22 may be subject to change.

This column is dedicated to Robert Duvall (1931-2026), Oscar actor recipient, “Tender Mercies” (1983) and seven-time Oscar nominee, including “Apocalypse Now” (1980) and “The Godfather” (1973).

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes